From Ghosts to Gods
by DreamsinShinto
Summary: 'No matter how strong you are, there is always someone stronger'.  Rated for language, suicide attempts, lemons, Rape, and of course all the violance it will take to keep peace between the three worlds.
1. Chapter 1

. . . I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or the charictors, but I do own this story. Also, it was eather publish this with the spelling errors, or kill my computer, so please bare with me for this chapter. Thanks, L.

The sound of muffled footsteps ahead of him quickly stole Kurama's attention from the seal that he had been examining. Night had fallen early in the forest, and the shadows made by the overbearing greenery seemed impenetrable in this late hour: he couldn't see anyone. He sat perfectly still as the footsteps became louder -closer-, and hoped that the shadows would mask him as well. He had just come from a fight, and didn't particular want another one. He held his breath as he felt, more then saw, the creature pass by in the dim starlight that peeped down through the thin branches of an old withered tree about three meters from ware he was. As soon as they were back in the shadows, all trace of the intruder vanished.

'_Damn_,' Kurama thought as he placed the seal back into the pouch at his waist as quietly as he could, '_I should have let Yomi talk me into going to that pub_.'

Clearing his mind of everything but his surroundings, the silver fox focused his ears to search for the footsteps. There weren't any, and that was what he had been afraid of. Any other creature would at least still have had footsteps to give themselves away, but the Shadow Hunter could conceal every sound, movement, scent, and even thought in this kind of darkness. Thus the title "Shadow Hunter".

Kurama knew that the Hunter was circling him, he didn't need perception to realize that. Cats like to stalk, and he was being toyed with, just like all of the other innumerable times that he had had this fight. Feeling annoyed that he would be forced into a confrontation if he tried to run, he pulled a small glowing seed out of his pocket, and flicked it into the ground in front of him. The plant sprang to life at once, the bud blossoming into a little gold lantern that emitted enough light to keep the shadows around him at bay.

"What is that thing?" Came a low growling voice from the darkness. It seemed to come from just outside the reach of the light.

"Do you like it, Leopard," Kurama asked sardonically into the darkness, "I made it specifically for you. You know, just in case I had to even the playing field." He referred to the lantern plant with a smug grin.

"No, Fox," the disembodied voice deepened in amusement, "I meant that thing in your pocket, the thing that looks like it came from Spirit World. I bet they'd pay a lot to get it back." Kurama stood up in a flash, and backed into the tree he was sitting under, ready to call it into action. "and yes," the Hunter added, stepping into the circle of light, "that plant is damn irritating."

The two fighters glared at each other for a moment, drinking in the anticipation of the duel. Kuramas mind raced with stragadies for a first move while watching his foe intently. The be hooded Leopard didn't seem to move, but he could feel those unseen eyes searching him, mocking him. This fight would depend on who could draw faster, he realized. He had the advantage, and was feeding energy into the tree that he still had one hand on, but his plan would only work if he could draw his whip faster then the Hunter could pounce. And the damn cat was FAST.

A sound suddenly came from the Hunter, halfway between a purr and a growl, and Kuramas hand was at his hair. At his motion, the Hunter sprang forward, producing small daggers between gloved fingers. Kurama acted quickly, deflecting the first wave of thrown daggers in the same motion of defurling the whip. The roots of the tree began to rise out of the ground at the same moment that the cat left it. Kurama inwardly swore to himself for being too slow as he watched helplessly as the Hunter pounced down on him, 'claws' sharp, and ready for flesh. He only had one more desperate move that could save his life. . .

And then there was a loud thump, and a scream. Kurama was only half aware that he had hit the ground. He resisted the urge to be sick as strong hands gripped him tightly and started shaking him. A voice some ware was saying something, but he was to disoriented to make out any of the words. He could feel his consciousness slipping away. He knew he was dying. For a brief second he felt content with the thought of dying, it didn't seem so bad, just like falling asleep.

And then something cold and wet hit him in the face. His eyes popped open in surprise, and almost immediately closed again in recoil from the harsh sunlight leaking into the room. He opened them again, slower this time to let his eyes adjust to the light, and was surprised to see Yeuske leaning over him, brows knitted with concern.

"Bad dream?" The former detective asked when he was sure that Kurama was finally awake.

"What are you talking about?" Kurama inquired as he sat up, surprised to find himself in his own living room, and not out in the middle of the woods.

"Well," Yeuske started, "You had a really bad twitch, then you fell out of the chair, then you started screaming. I couldn't shake you awake, so I got some water." He was still eyeing the damp and disheveled red-head with a look of concern. "For someone as defended as you, you sure are hard to wake up," he added when his friend seemed to accept his play-by-play of the past two minutes.

"What time is it?" He finally asked, pulling himself back up into the chair that he had spent the night in.

"It's about 11:30, your mom left for work about an hour ago. She left us a shopping list." Yueske smiled and held up a rather crumpled piece of paper, "I figured we could go after the meeting."

Kurama growened at the thought of the lunch meeting they had planed with Koenma. In the three weeks that Yueske had been back from the Demon Realm the deity had become an all to present figure in both of there lives.

"Couldn't you have told him I have therapy today, or something?" Kurama whined as he watched Yueske return to the 'help wanted' ads he had been scouring.

"I did, but he knew you didn't. I sware that creepy little basterd is spying on us. Oooo. . .how much do you think bouncers make?"

"You know he's just going to try to stop me from going."

Yueske sighed and looked at his friend with as serious of a look as he could muster. "None of us want you to go, Kurama. Your life hear isn't over just because you didn't finish school. I didn't finish school and I'll probably be fine!"

"Nobody ever expected you to finish school even before you were a demon, Yueske." Kurama pointed out with a faint hint of a smile.

"Whatever, jack-ass. If this is about what happened with your principal. . ."

"I could have killed him."

"So that's it? One mistake and you run away?"

Kurama let out a long, low sigh and fixed Yueske with an intense gaze, "I am not running away, I am simply quarantining myself for the safety of those around me. This subject is closed, I am going to Spirit World."


	2. Chapter 2

The Meeting

Yusuke tapped his chop sticks nervously on his water glass as he watched Kurama doodle on the restaurants menu. They were both still in bad moods from the mornings bickering, and the red head had been ignoring him since they had left the house. It wasn't helping matters that Koenma was more then a half hour late, and the silence between the two boys was becoming madding.

"If toddler breath is isn't hear in five minutes, I'm gonna start punching people!" Yusuke exclaimed, throwing the sticks at his empty place mat, the outburst earning a sharp glare from his friend. "oh, sorry, man. . ."

"It's fine." Kurama sighed, shaking his head and returning to his picture.

"I didn't mean-"

"I know you didn't."

Concern and curiosity flared in Yusuke as he watched the former demons' pen scratch at the parchment, "You ever gonna talk to me about it?"

"I punched a teacher, what else is there to talk about?"

"Okay. Are you ever gonna tell me why?"

"No."

Yusuke ran his hands through his hair out of exasperation. He couldn't help feeling a bit hurt by how closed off Kurama had become since they had parted ways after the Demon World tournament. It didn't seem like that long ago that the two were inseparable.

During the planning for the tournament, Kurama had become his right hand man, helping work out the kinks and organizing the staff. On there off time, Kurama had even shown him around the realm, taking him to old hideouts and showing him the 'ropes' of being a demon. Yusuke would never admit it to Kuwabara, but Kurama had quickly become his best friend. He was even living with Kurama and his family since he had returned from the Demon World.

But Kurama had changed in the few months between his return and Yusukes'. Less then a week after the former fox had returned to Living World 'for good', he was expelled from his prestigious high school in Tokyo for punching one of his teachers so hard that he broke a couple of the mans ribs. Not long after that, Shiori had found him one morning passed out in the bathtub with slit wrists. Everybody suspected that the suicide attempt was because of his expulsion, but Kurama wouldn't speak a word about it, or anything, until the day Genkei had called him inviting him and the others to hear about her will, and even then he refused to speak about the incident.

"What is that you're scribbling over there, anyway?" In a sudden burst of irratance, Yusuke reached across the table and snatched away Kuramas menu, causing a long streak of ink down the center of his drawing.

"Hey! I don't take your things!"

"What is this?" As Yusuke examined the drawing, he had to admit he was rather stunned by his friends talent at drawing. In the margins of the menu two little figures jumped along the printed words and drawn trees in what seemed to be an epic battle. One of the figures was obviously Yoko Kurama, a little sketched fox demon with a whip, but the other was unfamiliar to the detective. It was an even smaller figure in a hood, all shaded in, with a long tail and what appeared to be knives as weapons.

"Is this that guy you have dreams about?" Yusuke asked, looking up to see a sulking Kurama.

"They are not dreams, Yusuke, they are memories. And yes, that is the Shadow Hunter."

"Is this what you were dreaming when you screamed this morning?"

"No," Kurama sighed, "those are just doodles, The Hunter and I have never fought on the pages of a menu."

"'Ha ha', you ass. You know what I meant."

"Why are you trying to get me to talk about this?" Kurama demanded in that calm way that infuriated everybody he knew.

Yusuke stared him down for several moments, searching those deep, fathomless green eyes for anything that might help him help his friend. But those green eyes gave off nothing but a mischievous shine that spoke of untold secrets. Kurama was not only as closed off as ever, but he was even taunting Yusuke over it.

"Yo," A familiar voice finally broke the stare, "Sorry I'm late, I've been so buried in paperwork that I was sure that it was still yesterday." Koenma took his seat at the table with a huff; the young ruler did in fact look like he had been up all night.

"Wow, dipper boy, you _do_ look like crap. The Ogres revolting again?"

"No," The Prince spat at his former employee, "I've been in paperwork up to my eyebrows trying to clean up the mess your tournament made! Now that the barrier is down, every demon and his cousin are trying to immigrate to Living World!"

"Let's get right to the point of it, then," Kurama started as he waved over a waitress, "Neither of you want me to accept the job, and this meeting is just a sad attempt to convince me not to."

"That's no longer true." Koenma started, "Enki is pushing for this whole ambassador project of his to start as quickly as possible. I have to admit that I share his urgency; without the barrier between the three worlds, we have got to find some other way to regulate immigration and maintain peace. . ."

The group paused as the waitress made her way over and quickly took there lunch orders in a huff.

". . . Not only that," Koenma began to speak directly to Kurama, "But Enki has informed us that Maro will be Demon Worlds' representative to Spirit World."

Kurama blanched for a moment, eyes wide with shock, before quickly regaining his composure.

"I don't believe any 'king' could remove that woman from her position of power in the Bishounen lands with out a struggle." he said coolly, "Should I assume that now my presence in Spirit World is in demand to keep her from stabbing your father in the back?"

"Well, they say that you are the only person that has ever been able to reason with her." The young prince confirmed.

Kurama let out a long sigh and rested a hand under his chin, lost in thought while Koenma waited for a reply. Yusuke was left to stare at the two in confusion as the waitress came back carrying there food. The seconds passed like minutes as they waited for Kuramas reply.

"So who's this Maro?" Yusuke finally asked in a whisper.

"She's the self-proclaimed ruler of the Bishounen lands in Demon World." Koenma replied in a whisper, "She's very old, and very powerful. She has also never kept it a secret that she despises Spirit World and our crusade to annex more territory from Demon world."

"That's why it makes sense that Enki would send her." Kurama pointed out, "koenma, can you promise me that I will be treated as an ambassador, and not a babysitter?"

"No, that depends on weather Maro needs a babysitter or not."

Kurama sighed and began picking at his food, "Well, I suppose that if it comes to that, then at least I have the upper hand on the situation. Yes, I'm still interested in the job."

"This is just great then," Yusuke mumbled, crossing his arms and glaring at his food, "first Hiei stays in stupid Demon World, and now you're going to Spirit world. YOU'RE BREAKING UP THE BAND, YOKO!"

Kurama cocked his eyebrow and gave his friend a serious look, "it's only for three years, and with loosing my temper as often as I have been, it might be a good idea for me to get away from Living world for a while. And don't make jokes like that, they are not funny."

"What about your mom?"

"We've been over this," The red head rolled his eyes at his friend, "I have no doubt that you are more then capable of protecting the people that we care about without me here."

Yusuke began to sulk as the other two started making plans for Kuramas' journey. He couldn't explain it, but there was something about Kuramas hast to leave the world he fought so hard to be a part of that really irked him. He had come to this meeting hoping that King Yanma had rejected the former demons request to serve as ambassador from Living World. Instead, he was welcoming his old enemy to be a part of his politics. Something about the whole situation didn't make any sense, and Yusuke wanted to find out what that something was before he lost his friend forever.

"-Did you hear me Yusuke?" Koenma interrupted the teens thoughts.

"You know I never listen to you." he replied dryly.

"I said Demon world is sending there representatives in two weeks, you need to start preparing for their arrival."

Yusuke looked to Kurama, "Does that mean you leave in two weeks?"

"Yes, and I have a lot to do before then, so I may need your help, as well."

"Great. . ." Yusuke sighed. Now he only had two weeks to figure out what was really bothering Kurama. All he could do was hope he had the cunning to pull it off.

A/N So. . . Hopefully this chapter was better then the first. (To be honest, I hated the first one, but I posted it in anyway - like ripping off a band-aid or something)

Actually, I would like to know if this one is better, I could use the input. (grrr. . . Stories are harder to write then plays!)

Thanks so much for reading! J -L.


	3. Chapter 3

_Confessions_

"So Kurama's really going to Spirit World . . ." Kuwabara pondered, teeth still clenched around the straw of his milkshake, after listening to everything Yusuke had to say about yesterdays' meeting, "You know, it doesn't really surprise me. Shizuru is being just as stubborn."

"That is a totality different situation." Yusuke pressed as he kicked at the pebbles on the ground in front of the train stop, "She's got a lot of reasons to want to go to Demon World. I mean, she _is_ in training to take over the compound for Genkai. Seems like a good way to get to know how to deal with demons."

"Yeah, well that doesn't mean that I'm not gonna try to talk her out of it." The taller teen said with an air of stubbornness to rival his sisters'.

"But Kurama doesn't even have a real reason!-"

"You don't know that."

"- all he does is sit around the house all day in his pajamas moping about loosing his temper and getting kicked out of school!-"

"Well, what else is he supposed to do?"

"-And the jerk wont even talk to me about it! He's so repressed it makes me want to punch him!"

"Well isn't that the pot calling the kettle black." Kuwabara mumbled, earning a sharp glare from the shorter teen.

"Look," Kuwabara started before Yusuke could start throwing insults at him, "I didn't even know he was back in town before Genkai called us last month, so talking to us at all seems to be an improvement. And who knows, maybe he is a danger to us right now. It's not like him to fly off the handle like that and punch a human. . ."

"I just wish he would tell us why he did it. Maybe then I could help him here like he helped me there."

"You're starting to sound like his girlfriend." Kuwabara said a little louder then he had to, causing the people a few feet away to looking in there direction with weird glances.

"That's not funny!" the half demon breathed with all the warning he could muster.

"Calm down, it was a joke," he stood in anticipation of the train that was slowly rolling into the stop, "All I'm sayin' is that maybe we can't help him with this one. Just let him figure out whatever it is he's going through on his own."

"Nice advice from the guy who _cried_ when I left for three years." Yusuke mocked.

"Whatever," the carrot-top waived, "see you later, punk."

"yeah, see ya."

Yusuke waited until Kuwabara had boarded and the train was gone before shoving off the bench and heading home. It had been a long day of fallowing Kuwabara around nagging him about their friends business - and one job interview. He never thought he would be so board with all the free time he had being a middle school drop out; the old gangs didn't even pay him any attention anymore. Normally he would have hung out with Kurama all day, but the damn fox wouldn't get out of bed this morning.

So Yusuke grumbled through the crowded streets, focused on nothing but how empty his life had become now that he was 'home'. He still had Keiko - he would always have her - but she did little to console him that no matter how he tried, nothing was going to be the same as it was before he left.

He had expected the small changes, he knew Kuwabara would be busy with school, and that he didn't fight anymore. He was even okay with the idea of never seeing Hiei again, they weren't that close anyway. But he wasn't ready for it when his mother refused to let him come back home.

"_If you're man enough to leave me for two years, you're man enough to find your own place to live!" _

He would never forget the look of apathy in her eyes. His own mother was abandoning him, and she couldn't care less. It was two days after that that Shiori found out the predicament he had been placed in, and to Yusukes' wonder, she responded by taking him into her home. That was when he found out about Kurama, and all hope of his 'gang' returning to normal vanished.

"Change is hard!" He exclaimed as he stopped walking.

"Something wrong, Yusuke?" A newly familiar voice called to him.

Yusuke turned from the street in surprise to see he was in front of Kuramas' house, Kazuya watching him suspiciously from the driveway ware he was washing the flashy car that Kurama bought, but refused to drive, in the soft light of early evening.

"Oh, you know," Yusuke started with some embarrassment, "Still can't get over Kuwabara being a braininac now, he-he," He lied.

"You almost sound like you're jealous," the older man misinterpreted with a smile, "Where's Shuichi?"

"He's not home?"

"No, we assumed he was with you."

"Huh. . . I'll give him a call then," Yusuke reassured him as he headed for the front door.

The house was quiet when he entered it, witch was no surprise. He knew that Shuiichi was going to a soccer game with some friends, and the boy made more noise then the rest of the family put together. As he entered the kitchen to grab the phone, he was startled to find Shiori sitting at the table, staring unseeingly into a cup of tea.

"Something wrong, Ma'am?" he asked with general concern. He had grown quite fond of the his surrogate mother in the past three weeks.

"Yusuke dear," She sighed, "How many times have I asked you to call me Shiori?"

"Sorry, Ma'am." he replied aqwardly

She smiled a soft smile at him as she motioned for him to sit next to her, "Do you have a moment to talk?"

"Sure," Yusuke said, pouring himself some tea, and refreshing her cup before sitting.

She watched him patiently, almost studying him as he sat down and waited for her to start the conversation. After a few moments past, she seemed to work up the nerve to speak.

"Shuichi told me everything." She said flatly. Yusukes' eyes widened in panic at what those four words could possibly mean. the two boys had already discussed the topic of 'the truth' in length, and had agreed that they would never tell Kuramas' mother that he was actually a demon.

"What do you mean?" He asked nervously.

Shiori let out a long sigh, still looking into her cup instead of Yusuke, "He told me about working for the Mafia. He told me about how he stole that trial medicine from that crime lord to save me, and how Hieis' sister was kidnapped and forced into slavery to repay that debt, and how you boys had to fight in some martial arts tournament to get her back, and then joining up with your fathers crime syndicate to prevent a gang war in Tokyo." The words poured out of her in an exasperated sob. She had to put down her tea, she was shaking so badly.

"Oh. . ." Yusuke's head was spinning. It sort of sounded like the truth- 'Mafia' instead of 'demons'. Leave it to Kurama to come up with the perfect lie. "He told you about all of that?"

"He said he couldn't keep it form me any longer. That he wanted me to understand why he -Why he has to leave."

Yusuke reached out to hold her hand. She took it, and a weird peace seemed to cross her face. "It's all true, isn't it? My son would really be happier as a criminal?"

"That's the way it seems. . ." And as he said it, the thought struck him. Kurama _would_ be happier as a criminal. Yusuke even knew that all of kuramas savings were from stealing. Kurama wasn't depressed about getting kicked out of school, he was depressed about the life he left behind: His life as a demon.

'I can't say that I'm overly surprised," Shiori started again with a smile, "he was always such trouble as a child. I always had the feeling that he was trying to get away from me, as if he hated me and the way that we lived. It wasn't until I fell ill that he started to be the kind boy he seemed to become, but I guess that was just a front."

"That's not true," Yusuke protested in what he hoped was a soothing voice, "Everything that he's done since I've met him has been to protect you from the bad guys we've pissed off. He does love you."

She looked up into his eyes, and he was surprised to see that hers were dry.

"Thank you Yusuke, I needed to hear that."

They sat like that for a long time, and he was happy enough just to comport the woman. Neither of them stirred until they herd the door open and Kurama call out "Mother, I'm home."

Shiroi gave Yusukes hand a quick squeeze before getting up to greet her son.

…...

A/N This is a two part chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

Kurama spun around in mid air just in time to kick off of the tree that he had been hurled at. With a graceful flip, he dove for his assailant, conjuring a sword-like gauntlet of vines and razor sharp twigs. With his other hand, he let out a thick cloud of flower petals from the small seeds that he kept concealed under his fingernails. The small demon below him crouched low in defense as the petals hit, ready to spring up at the first sign of the now hidden fox.

The bandit plunged his weapon into the swirling mass of flowers as he reached the ground, and hit flesh. The creature screamed, and shot a clawed punch into his leg. He let out his own cry at the pain, and stabbed again at the Hunter. His aim missed this time, and through him off balance. The smaller fighter kicked again at his unguarded chest, but he had been ready for it, merely sending him scraping across the ground, instead of flying this time. The cat sprang out of the still swirling flowers after him, running with a crazed abandon, despite the slight limp due to the blow Kurama had landed.

The fox defuriled his whip as he skidded to a halt, ready to deflect anything that the cat could throw at him. The sun was blazing thru the leaves of the scattered trees, and the Shadow Hunter had no choice but to face him head on. The small creature leaped into the air with a pouncing motion, arms up, ready to defend againced the whip. Kurama was seconds away from striking when something hot and bright hit him in the face.

He staggered backwards and fell to the ground. He tried to look for the source of the attack, but found that he could not see beyond the many colored lights that danced before his eyes. He hurled a thump and a grown near by and realized the Hunter had been attacked as well. A panic swelled in the young fox.

"What WAS that?" He asked to his surroundings, not sure of ware the Hunter was in his blind confusion.

A small gloved hand grabbed his wrist, and before he could strike the creature away he hured the words as if from a far distance, "Run you fool! Moro's hear!"

The cat started running, pulling the fox along with such strength and speed that Kurama soon found himself faltering trying to keep up. The occasional burst of hot energy at his heels and the vice like grip of the Hunter were the only things keeping him going. He could feel the Wolf Queen gaining on them.

"This might be unpleasant." The Hunter warned as the shimmering lights that had been blinding him faded away into a dim grey nothingness. A blackness engulfed him as the Hunter jerked forward, and an almost unbearable pressure pinched at his entire body. He felt like he was falling in no particular direction, and then suddenly he hit the ground, hard.

"That bitch!" The Hunter breathed, "She knows you're MY quarry."

Kurama sat up slowly, finding that his sight was back to normal. The Hunter sat next to him, breathing heavily. He took in his surroundings with awe. They were sitting under a large stone pavilion on the side of a mountain. He knew the spot, and knew that they must have just traveled over a hundred miles.

"What did you do?" He asked the Hunter, who had stood up and started walking away.

"I teleported." The cat stopped, but did not turn around. "It took a lot out of me, so if you still want to kill me, now's your chance, Fox."

Kurama thought for a moment. Taking care of the Hunter now would save him time later. Yet, the cat _had_ just saved his life. And if he was going to be honest with himself, he didn't feel up to it at the moment, ether.

"I want an even match." He responded simply. The Hunter stayed still. "We can finish this later."

The cat nodded once, and departed to the woods below them. The moment the hooded figures' energy signal was gone, Kuramas composure broke, and he collapsed into violent shutters.

Kurama awoke with a gasp, bolt upright and scanning his surroundings. The dim shadows on the walls and floor of his bedroom gave him the sinking feeling that he had slept past noon, but to his relief, he was alone.

He quickly dressed and practically ran down the stairs to the living room ware he was greeted by the sullen face of his step-brother.

"If you're going to jerk-off, could you at least be quiet about it. I don't want to have to hear that." Shuichi greeted with a cocked eyebrow and an air of annoyance.

"What? I- I wasn't-"

"Sure you weren't." the boy said with a skeptical roll of his eyes.

Kurama shrugged off the offence, as he normally did, and instead focused his attention on the stillness of the house, "Where is everyone?"

"Dad convinced Mom to go to that garden show down at the mall," Shuichi replied, focusing his attention back to the video game he was playing, "and you're boy-friend is out with that orange haired loser." It was Kuramas turn to roll his eyes at his step-brother, and with out a response, left the house in silence.

Out on the street, he wandered aimlessly. He had a lot on his mind now that yesterday's meeting had sealed his fate. In truth, he didn't want to leave his family, but he knew he couldn't afford another incident like he had had at school. His conscience wouldn't allow it.

His mothers face haunted his thoughts as he passed like a ghost along the crowded streets leading to the down town area. He knew that he had hurt her, but knew nothing could be done about that now. She needed to know something, so he told her everything- almost. As gruesome as his life had been, he figured that the story would be easer for her to take if it was still a human life, and not that he was really an ancient and legendary Kitsune thief that murdered her true son. So he spun the story of the truth as to were he had been with a crime-syndicate spin instead of admitting to the existence of demons.

He walked on blindly, concerned in only his thoughts for some time, occasionally bumping into passerby's and running into dead end alleyways. It wasn't until he heard someone calling out his name that he snapped back to reality to realize that he was at the opposite end of town. In slow confusion, he turned to see who had flagged him down.

"Kurama!," the bright and cheery voice of Mitarai reached him before he saw his one time ally.

"Oh, hello," Kurama greeted with a flush of embarrassment, "I didn't hear you, I'm sorry, I was rather lost in thought."

"That's okay," The boy panted, it was obvious he had been trying to get his attention for a while, "it's just so weird to see you out this way, I figured I'd say 'hi'. So. . .Hi!"

"Hello" Kurama said again, a little awkwardly, "Um. . . How have you been?"

"Not bad." Kurama lied. "And you."

As soon as he asked, he knew he would regret it. Mitarai started rambling on instantly about how the past two years of his life had gone, and how his happiness was all thanks to the 'spirit detective group'. Kurama listen to it all, without interruptions as the two continued back through the city, finally stopping at a cake shop.

"Oh!" the boy exclaimed as he noticed where there feet had taken them, "I love this place! Want to stop for some coffee?"

The look on Mitarais' face was too hopeful for Kurama to turn him down. In fact, it was down-right adorable.

"You know, yes I would." he answered, and to his delight, an enormous smile broke out on his companions face.

"Great, my treat!" and with that, he grabbed Kuramas arm and lead him into the store and into a booth.

"So you think I have a shot at studying overseas?" The blond questioned, picking up the conversation from where they had left it.

"From what you say, I'm sure any university would be happy to have you. I don't know how you make room for all the clubs you're in now."

"Not having many friends helps with that. And not wanting to hear my mom and sis argue about what 'teenage rebellion' means." he shrugged.

It really surprised Kurama to hear that Mitarai still didn't have many friends. Though he could see how a lot of people could feel like he came on a little strong, see the boy just talked his ear off for a good hour. "You hang out with Kuwabara, don't you?"

"Yeah," the boy said in an off-hand sort of way, "But he kinda' hangs out with the jocks, and they don't really like me. We are in the young businessman club together, though."

"Why wouldn't the jocks like you, I thought you played baseball?"

'They don't really like 'my kind' in the locker room with them, if you get my meaning." He answered more to the table then to Kurama.

"I see. . ." Was that a blush he saw appear on Mitarais' cheeks?

Kuramas heart began racing like it hadn't done in years. The sudden urge to seduce this boy overwhelmed him to the point that his breath actually caught in his thought.

"Are you seeing anyone?" the question fell off of his tong before he could stop himself.

Mirarais' eyes bolted up from the spot he had been staring at and met with the deep green portals of Kuramas eyes. He openly blushed under the gaze and Kurama swore inwardly to himself about what he was doing. He felt like he was loosing control again.

"No." He answered slowly, blushing even more deeply, "there aren't many openly gay guys in this city. It's actually one of the biggest reasons I want to get out of Japan."

"I've never kept it much of a secret myself -to those who ask." Kurama replied calmly as he sipped at his drink. "You shouldn't be ashamed of who you are, Mitarai."

The boy gaped at him, "Really- You?" he stammered. Kurama shrugged back at him.

"It's never been something that I really pay much attention to. I've always been too busy with other things to pursue a relationship." He paused as blue eyes flashed before his minds eye. He tried to brush away the thought, determined to focus on the embarrassed blond sitting across from him. When the thought wouldn't go away, a swell of panic bubbled in his chest.

"Oh, I just remembered," Kurama said hastily, "What time is it, I promised my mother that I would be home for dinner." He made no such promise, but needed to find an out."

"It's ten to five." Mitarai said with a bit of confusion.

Kurama sighed and stood up, "I'm sorry for this, but I have to go."

"Oh, it's okay, it was nice to see you again." The boy looked hurt.

"Can I call you sometime?" Kurama added, wanting to let Mitarai know that he wasn't leaving because of him.

"Yeah, I would like that." he smiled. Kurama nodded, and then was gone, leaving his friend alone and bewildered in the shop.

Once out of the shop, Kurama headed at a fast steady pace back to his house, his mind in a panic.

_What are you doing to yourself?_ he asked himself with every step. He was ashamed of the way he was acting, trying to seduce an innocent boy like that. It was something he hadn't done since-

Blue eyes flashed in his consciousness again, and he had to restrain himself from punching the tree he was walking past. It almost physically hurt to remember _those_ eyes.

Finally, he made it home, without accidentally killing anyone, to find Kazuya washing his car in the driveway.

"You know, I never drive it, so it never gets dirty." Kurama greeted his step-father.

"It got some mud on it this morning when your mom and I went out." Kazuya said passively, "Someone should enjoy this thing if you're not going to."

"Well, I'm glad you like it so much. I might just let you keep it." He teased as he headed for the door.

"Mother, I'm home." he called, as he always did, and she emerged from the kitchen closely fallowed by Yusuke. From the look of them, they had been have a rather serious talk.

"You told him then." he guessed.

"Yeah, and thanks for warning me you were going to spill the beans!"

"'Spill the beans'? So you were out with Kuwabara," Kurama chuckled.

"Were have you been, Shuichi? I had been trying to call you." Shiori demanded.

"Don't worry, mother. I wasn't out getting into trouble." His stern gaze met hers, "I was having coffee with a friend."

She gave him a shrewd look, and Yusuke could swear that she was trying to tell if was really out with mobsters. After a few moments, and she felt satisfied with her sons' answer she smiled.

"Alright, just, call next time, sweetie." She said with a bit of strain.

"I'm sorry, I will, Mother." answered with only a hint of self disgrace in his voice.

She nodded slightly as response, and then turned back into the kitchen, patting Yusuke on the shoulder as she went. As soon as the two boys were alone in the hallway, the atmosphere sparked with energy, both warning and defensive.

"What the hell are you trying to do to your mom, telling her all that shit?" Yusuke hissed, stepping closer to the stoic red-head.

"What else was I supposed to do? I think she would notice if I simply vanished for three years with no explanation!" The thought hit Yusuke with so much apathy that it practically sent him reeling.

"I think you really hurt her, Kurama. She almost looks afraid of you!"

"Well, that's the problem isn't it," Kurama sighed. He looked deep into Yusukes' eyes, the first time they had looked at each other since before the meeting yesterday, "I have to tell you something."

…...

A/N They may stay this long. R&R -L.


	5. Chapter 5

_Accusations_

Yusuke leaned up against the door, not wanting to go too far into Kuramas bedroom. In truth, he had never been in Kuramas bedroom, the fox having threatened death to all intruders. Looking around the small space he could see why his friend had forbid even his own family from invading his privacy: There were just so many plants. Pots filled with every kind of vegetation imaginable sat on every surface, overflowing in a way that Yusuke could only describe as demonic.

"Went a little crazy on the gardening, didn't you?" He teased Kurama, who had perched himself at the edge of his bed, "This isn't the big surprise, is it?"

"No, this is just an outlet."

"An outlet for what?" Yusuke cocked his eyebrow at his friend. There was something in Kuramas voice that scared him slightly.

"My demonic energy." He answered simply, "Since my return it has been a bit. . . Out of control." he sighed as he rested his head in his hands.

"So what do these plants have to do with you pissing off your mom?"

"The plants have nothing to do with it, Yusuke," An almost painful look crossed his face as he paused, as if he couldn't quite find the right words to continue, "Do you remember when I told you about my merger?" he settled for instead.

"Yeah," Yusuke thought. "you said your human soul and your demon soul mixed together to make the 'Kurama' soul you are now. Right?"

"Something like that." He took a long sigh, it was now or never, "I know now that that is not what happened." He could feel the tears swell in his eyes, and mustered all his strength to keep them from falling.

"So, you _do_ have two souls floating around in there?" Yusuke asked daftly. To his surprise, Kurama burst out laughing.

"You mistake me," He said, wiping away the tears that had fallen involuntarily, "there is only one soul in this body; Youko's soul - _my _soul."

Yusuke stared at him for a long time, not sure of what to say. He searched him, trying to see any differences in his friend that would prove this, trying to see Youko underneath the flesh and blood that made up Shuichi.

"You don't seem any different to me." he finally decided.

"I wouldn't. This is the only 'me' you would have ever known. 'Shuichi's' soul doesn't exist." The statement was laced with self hatred.

"So you were lying before, or is this a new development?"

"I figured it out during my fight with Shiguri*, when I transformed."

"Okay," Yusuke said slowly, "but that still doesn't answer why you're being a dick to everyone."

Kurama thought for a minute, eyeing the door behind his friend, before reaching under his mattress for a pack of cigarettes.

"What the hell are you doing?" Yusuke exclaimed as Kurama lit a cigarette and took a long drag.

"I used to smoke a pipe, and to be honest, I missed it." He looked at the half demon, challenging him, but his expression softened when he saw the look of concern on the dark haired boys face, "I have been holding to much back, Yusuke. Do you know what it's like to pretend you're something that your not for so long?" Yusuke shrugged, feeling slightly uncomfterble and foolish, "I really thought I could do it, stay in Living World, but I can't. I keep falling into old habits, dangerous habits. I have to leave before I hurt anymore innocent people. And if no one misses me, I don't have to worry about coming back."

That last statement caught Yusuke's attention, "You're making your mom mad on purpose?"

"Yes."

"That is the stupidest thing I've ever herd!" Yusuke shot at the fox, "I thought Youko was supposed to be this bad-ass guy who could do anything! Turns out, you're just some puss who runs away when things get tough!"

"It's how I've survived." Kurama agreed.

Yusuke was about to protest his friends words when a stiff knock on the door behind him made him jump.

"Boys, come down and set the table, dinner's almost ready." Shiori called through the door.

"Coming, Mother," Kurama called back then turned to Yusuke, "We can finish this later, and I also have a favor to ask you."

"And what would that be, 'take good care of my family while I'm busy running away from my problems'?"

"No, I thought that would go without saying," he smiled lightly at his friend, "but if I'm going to have any chance at returning in three years, there re going to be some things that I must acquire."

Yusuke thought for a moment, "Sure, what could it hurt."

"Good, then prepare to go camping this weekend."

...

A/N I've been working on this one all week, and this was the best I could come up with. Please tell me what you think. -L.

* Demon doctor, I have no idea how badly I misspelled his name.


	6. Chapter 6

_The camp-out begins_

Silence fell on the upon the crowd as the Wolf Queen approached the alter, not that anyone had been talking about anything of much substance anyway. Orange flames licked at the alcoves carved in the high standing stones that circled this neutral zone, casting an odd light on the congregation as they waited for the reason they had been summoned. The night was thick with anticipation.

"Spirit World is encroaching upon our lands," Mauro started, causing a restless shift amongst the group, "the time has come to band together, and force these tyrants out."

"You're thinking Unification?" Scoffed a young and rather pompous looking Toushin.

"I am, Raizen." She said in a delicate tone. "And unless you want your lands to be the next to fall to the invaders, I suggest you consider the idea."

A murmur of mixed approval and disapproval erupted throughout the crowd, only two figures, leaning on either side of a standing stone, arms crossed stayed silent: a Fox and a Raven.

"Cut the crap, Mauro!" Out of the whispers of many voices came a shout. It came from a large demon with enormous horns hanging from his head to his shoulders. "Most of us haven't had any problem taking care of Yanma's solders, but we all know you've been loosing ground on a daily basis."

"That is because we are the most exposed!" Mauro protested, "When the Ikimoni lands fall, who do you think will stand in the way of the full force of Yanma's armies? We must stand together now!"

"If you want help, Wolf, just come right out and ask for it." said a small blue demon dressed in a fancy kimono, "though, don't get your hopes up." he added with a chuckle, causing the crowd to break out in jeers of approval.

"If we unite against this common enemy," she started slowly, effectively causing silence again, "I will give my word to halt my attacks on the rest of your capitals, and end my crusade to unify our world under my banner." it was obvious that this proposition greatly hurt her pride.

"And what about us who don't represent territories?" Kuronue called out into the stunned silence, never moving from the rock he was leaning against, "Does this mean you'll leave The Guild alone, too?"

Mauro eyed the young Raven closely before switching her gaze to Kurama, who refused to meet her stare.

"As long as The Guild stops trying to sabotage my kingdom, then yes, you have my word."

A loud clap came from a tall beautiful demoness with a talisman covering her mouth and prayer beads across her face.

"Yes, Madam Misao, I'll even stop attacking your whores." Mauro concealed thru clenched teeth. The madam gave a curt nod in sign of support.

"Mauro? Who gave you permission to hold a conclave to determine the fate of _MY _kingdom?" A low voice growled suddenly from above the group.

"Ha ha! Now you're gonna get, wolf!" Raizen chided softly.

The entire group turned to look for the source of the voice, but only Kurama saw it. Lazily perched at the top of the standing stone opposite him, the Shadow Hunter surveyed the gathering, lost in the shadows of the night.

"You were not invited, Cat, and I suggest that you leave, lest you want to know what happens to curious little kitties."

"This is neutral ground, Mauro. Loose your temper hear, and loose your authority." The hunter warned. "For the rest of you, I have a proposition that may benefit you more then the wolfs'."

"We don't want to hear it, Nik," Kuronue spat, still not sure of ware the Hunter was, "You can't offer us what Mauro can."

"Not true," The voice growled, "I can offer exactly that. All you have to do, my fellow Kami, is guarantee my succession of the Ikimoni lands."

The group fell silent. Every single member of the conclave did, in fact, have something to gain by getting rid of Mauro. Yet, could the Cat be trusted to end the hostility between the Ikimoni and the rest of demon kind?

A sudden jolt shook Kurama awake. Searching his surroundings he was relived to find that he was still on the train, and that his friends were still arguing excessively about nothing.

"How long have I been asleep?" he asked his companions.

"Long enough, we're hear." Kuwabara said, getting up to reach for his bag in the overhead compartment.

"You slept most of the ride," Yusuke chimed in, "Bad dream by the way- I mean 'memory', you've been scowling for the last hour?"

"Have I?" Kurama said as he got up and stretched. "It was rather boring."

"I still don't get what you mean when you say you dream your memories." Kuwabara said as he handed the other two boys there travel bags, "Is it like your rediscovering your past?"

"No, I remember everything perfectly, I actually have no idea what the dreams are for." he shrugged as they made there way off the train.

To the groups' surprise, the station was almost desolate; only a handful of hikers and vacationers milling around the small aria.

"Good, not a lot of travelers. This time of year is usually very busy." Kurama remarked as he lit a cigarette.

"Am I gonna have to hide those from you like I did with my sis!"

"Don't bother, I already tried." Yusuke grumbled as he slung his bag over his shoulder and made for the road.

The trio walked in silence as they came up to the lantern lined stairs, the sound swaying through the trees and the birds singing peacefully around them was enough to put the red-heads in a tranquil awe. Late spring was fresh on the air, and it wasn't hard to assume that despite the blue sky and soft sunlight a morning rain had visited the aria.

"How long is this going to take?" the sour mooded detective grumbled, "There's nothing but trees up hear!"

"We've only been walking for twenty minutes." Kuwabara said, looking at his watch, "The travel guide says it should only be a half-hour walk."

"It'll be longer then that," Kurama said with a small empathetic smile, "I don't want to stay in town for to long."

The group continued to bicker for the next twenty minuets as they made there way up the red stairs of the mount. The closer they came to there destination the more cluttered the edges of the steps became with small statues of goblins and kami. As much as the three tried to ignore the feeling, they couldn't shake the sense that the small stones were watching them.

"Finally!" Yusuke exclaimed once they reached the landing.

"Lets get some grub! I'm starving." Kuwabara piped in.

Only Kurama paused at the edge of the stairs, taking in the view of the small town. Nervousness pounded in his chest as he scanned the buildings in the late afternoon sun. Tourists lazily strolled from building to building, taking in the scenery and chatting softly to themselves. Monks tended to the many gardens and sites that spanned the slopes of the ancient Reiki birthplace. Workers carrying fresh supplies on the back of bicycles made there way thru the streets to the hot springs. It was a perfect peaceful day.

"It looks so different." Kurama gasped in a hallow voice.

"You've been hear before?" Kuwabara asked, obviously a little existed that someone would know there way around, "This does seem like the kind of place _you_ would come to on vacation."

"You mean he didn't tell you?" Yusuke cocked his eyebrows at his friend.

"Well, Kuwabara," Kurama started with a sigh and a mischievous gleam in his eyes, "There is a reason they call this town 'Kurama'."

...

A/N This one was supposed to be longer, but I got caught up with _Epic or Bust_ (Hopefully my frist profeshonal publishing that is NOT a thises.), so i kinda neglected this story. Yet, I have ordered myself to update at least once a week, so you're onlt getting about a third of this chapter, sorry.

Also, i'm aware of my spelling. It's trerrable.

AND as a big huge note, I feel like I have to aplogize for my misconception of certan vocabulary. I have reasently been made aware that I have been missusing 'bishounin'. I could have sworn that it ment 'animal spirit', but it doesn't. So, I'm using 'Ikimoni' - roughly translated to animal ghost. I say roughly because I made it up from two other Japeness words. If anyone knows the real word I'm looking for, please let me know.

thanks for reading -L.


	7. Chapter 7

_In Kurama_

"Eighteen years ago," he started, closing eyes as if it would help him remember, "was the last time I saw this village. It looked older then. It still had the look of a town withered with age. Now, it's modern. Too modern."

"I don't know what your talking about, this place is great!" Kuwabara said after swallowing the monstrous mouthful of soba he had been chewing on. "Besides, you can't expect things to always stay the same just because you want them to."

Upon the younger two's request, there first stop had been the dinner in down town Kurama. Even though the establishment was only ten years old, it shared the same quaint quality as the rest of the much older town. The open aired kitchen, and even the fact that the severs didn't ware uniforms only added to the charm. Kurama alone seemed to be immune to the wonder of the place.

"Your math's off, smart guy," Yusuke said thru a mouthful of dumplings, "Your only seventeen."

"It was while I was escaping."

Yusuke and Kuwabara froze. Kurama never -never spoke of his near death flight from the SDF. It was an unspoken rule. They stared at him in shock as he blew bubbles in his water, desperately trying to escape there stare.

"So, Kuwabara," Yusuke started off shakily, catching the hint to change the subject, "You think this would be a good honeymoon spot for when me and Keiko get hitched?"

"'Keiko and I'" Kuwabara corrected, "Just because you're an idiot doesn't mean you have to sound like one."

"Its best in Autumn, there's a festival, and the hot springs are much more pleasant when it's cooler." The sulking red-head remarked, still not looking at his companions.

"Ah, drat. She wants a summer wedding."

"That kinda reminds me, where are we staying tonight. It's almost six, and the map doesn't show any campgrounds." Kuwabara noted, pulling out his pocket travel map, "It seems like we could probably get a room at that hotel."

"I was actually hoping to get there tonight."

The two boys gave there red-headed friend a quizzical look, he had never precisely told them what their destination was.

"You're gonna make us do more hiking, aren't you?" Yusuke sighed, trying his best to give Kurama his 'demon eyes'.

"I hardly call walking up some stairs 'hiking'."

"Then ware the heck are we going? Don't tell me we're going to the dojo at the top." Kuwabara inquired in a low voice to avoid the notice of the waitress making her way to them.

"Oh, nothing like that," Kurama smiled evilly as he handed the cheerful looking girl his plate, "We're going treasure hunting!"

"Oh no! Not another one of you guys!" She exclaimed exasperated at the red-heads words, "You're not from Otani*, are you?"

"No, we're still in high school," Kuwabara pointed out, "Why?"

"The mythology department sends students up hear every summer to find 'the Spirit Fox's lost hoard'. The ledged is a bunch of crap, and the guys that come up for the study are always such pigs!" she admitted with a slight blush. "Sorry boys, but you shouldn't waist your time chasing fairy tails."

"'The Spirit Fox's lost hoard'?" Yusuke asked, turning sly eyes to the demon in question. "Well now I'm interested! Hey, lady, can you tell us about this legend, our friend hear didn't tell us anything about what we're getting into."

Kurama narrowed his eyes at the dark haired boy as the waitress contemplated weather telling the story was worth her time. When she finally slid into the booth next to Kuwabara, Yusuke let out a loud 'HAHA!' in triumph as Kurama rested his chin on his hand, sulking again.

"Well," she started, "They say that long ago this mountain was a dense, dark forest that people were afraid to go into. Demons lived hear. And then one day bandits, on the run from the emperor, were forced into the forest. Nobody believed that they would make it out alive. Ten years went by, and nobody herd from them, until they came back out and ransacked North Kyoto. The legends says that they had a three-tailed silver fox with them, and when they returned to the forest, the fox killed them and took all of there spoils as punishment for being bad people. After that, nobody was afraid of the forest anymore, and they started to venture up into the mountain. But nobody knows what happened to the Spirit Fox, or the treasure. It's said that some ware in the forest surrounding Kurama, the treasure is still out there, waiting to be found." She finished with and amused smile. "So, can I bring you boys some cake? This seasons strawberry crop just came in, and we just made some fresh sweets with them?"

"No, just the check is fine." Kurama responded with an appreciative nod.

"Your loss." She shrugged, and got up and walked away.

As she left, Kuwabara and Yusuke gaped at their friend. Kurama in turn stair vacantly back at them.

"Did any of that actually happen?" Yusuke asked with a cocked brow.

"Well, I did kill some bandits," his eyes changed from vacant to mischievous instantly, "And I do have a treasure."

...

A/N Kurama is a real village Northeast of Kyoto, but I don't think the legand of the Spirit Fox actuly exists.

I know these are choppy, but I'm having trouble transitioning segments of these chapters, if it runs together wierd, let me know. Thanks -L.

* A real University in Kyoto.


	8. Chapter 8

_The Woods_

"I don't understand why we couldn't have just stayed at that hotel!" Yusuke exclaimed, throwing the tangle of nylon and aluminum that was no ware near resembling a tent to the ground.

"Could you at least try not to break my things?" Kurama scolded in the dim light of the campfire as he examined the wrecked tent, "and staying at that Buddhist atrocity of a village makes me nervous."

"Why, did they hunt you or something?" Kuwabara asked, poking at the fire.

"No, but they did force me out of my own temple. I suppose I still have a lingering resentment towards those monks."

"I give up!" Yusuke said, sitting next his tallest friend on a log next to the fire, "That tent is imposable, I'd rather sleep on the ground!"

"Well I wouldn't!" Kuwabara grumbled.

"Then you can put it together."

"If we hadn't stopped to eat we might have been there by now," Kurama mused, studying the two from across the fire, "We could still make it tonight, it shouldn't take more then another hour."

"It's already midnight!" Yusuke whined, "_We_ didn't sleep on the train like you did."

"What's so important about getting to you're 'den', anyway. You've never said anything about it before."

"Situations in Demon World have changed now that it is unified," Kurama started, "There are still parts of our world that aren't going to bow down so easily to a new king. The Ikimoni lands will fall into a civil war if something is not done."

"The 'Ikimoni' lands?" Kuwabara asked.

"Where the animal-people come from." Yusuke informed, "How are you gonna' help prevent war in Demon World if you're in Spirit world?" he directed at Kurama.

"I may be a citizen of Living World right now, but I'm still the Spirit Fox. I have a vote in the matter."

"So is that ware we're going? To demon world?" Kuwabara asked sleepily.

"No, I just have to get the scroll that proves my right to the vote. I can give it to Mauro when I get to Spirit World."

"That doesn't sound like treasure to me." The dark haired boy mocked with a smile.

"Maybe not in the traditional sense, but I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the treasure I have acquired over the years."

Yusuke shrugged as he regarded his friends words. He was hoping the trip would improve his friends mood, but in the end it was only making him more mysterious. Though, he had to admit, the hiking was opening up a whole new side of Kurama that the others rarely got to see. Ever since the dinner the red-head had been dropping hints, and telling half-stories of his life as a demon in Living World. Because getting information out of the fox was like pulling teeth, the pair of former hooligans spent the past six hours of walking fishing for more info.

They had gotten the real story of the Spirit Fox that the locals had 'corrupted'; two thousand years ago, Kurama had used the exiled bandits to eradicate the mountain of the vile and weak demons that prevented humans from venturing into the forest, and then used the farmers that migrated into the peaks to help disguise his hide-out. He told them stories of how Japan was before the East had invaded the small country, and how demons and humans had lived together back then. Kuwabara had listened to the history lesson with the excitement of a small child learning about Santa Clause while Yusuke, thoroughly annoyed that he felt like he was at school, grumbled about wasting an entire weekend. After all the walking and talking, the two younger boys happily collapsed from exhaustion when Kurama suggested they stop for a rest.

"Do you always have to be so mysterious all the time?" Yusuke finally demanded of the fox, "If you're just getting some damn piece of paper, why the hell did we have to come too?"

"I wanted to spend my last weekend in this world with my friends." Kurama said in a quiet voice, taken aback by his friends hostility. Yusuke looked away in embarrassment. The hurt in the red-heads voice was enough for him to regret the way he had been acting all day.

"Well Kurama," Kuwabara started with a yawn, "I'm happy you invited me. It's been a while since we've gotten to hang out like this. I'm gonna' miss you, man."

"I'll miss you, too." Kurama replied with a smile. "You should get some sleep, Kuwabara. I'll wake you in the morning."

"Don't need to tell me twice." And with that, the tallest of the three stumbled to the pile of sleeping bags and passed out.

The two half-demons sat staring at the fire for a long time after that, both unsure of what to say to each other. They were used to the awkward silence between them by now. With Kurama refusing to speak of anything unpleasant, and Yusuke's inability to be pleasant most of the time, they had spent most of there time together not talking to each other when at home.

"Wish we had some video games with us." Yusuke broke the silence.

"We play too many of them, anyway."

"Then, should we talk about something?" He said, hintingly.

"What do you have in mind?" Suspicion grew in Kuramas chest at the hesitance in Yusuke's voice.

"You've been avoiding me all week."

"I know."

"Are we ever going to finish talking about it?"

"About what, murdering unborn human souls, or harming loved ones on purpose?" Kurama asked in a bitter tone that seemed to come out of nowhere.

"About you being a puss!" Yusuke answered quietly, feeling exhausted from the conversation already.

"You should get some sleep, too." Kurama evaded, "I'll take the watch." he stood and turned to leave.

"Where are you going?"

"To set up alarms," Kurama called over his shoulder, "Please don't fallow me: Get some sleep." And with that, he walked away into the night, leaving Yusuke gaping sourly at his back.

...

A/N These last three chapters were supposed to be one chapter, but wound up short and choppy instead. I can't tell if they way they fit together reads poorly or not, so if it does, some ConCrit would be nice. Thanks -L.


	9. Chapter 9

_Kuramas' Den_

Yusuke woke slowly in the flickering sunlight that drifted down thought trees, he had forgotten how pleasant it could be to sleep outside. He had the feeling he had been dreaming about Keiko, and something about a motorcycle? He kept his eyes shut and tried to remember, but the growling in the pit of his stomach distracted him, reminding him why he woke up in the first place.

"Do we have any food?" He grumbled into the open air, not sure if anyone was awake to hear him anyway.

"'Bout time you woke up!" Kuwabaras voice hit his ears a split second before the granola bar he had thrown hit his head.

"You didn't have to throw it at me!" Yusuke yelled as he sat up, looking desperately for said snack bar. "Is that all we have, I thought we brought eggs and stuff?"

"Kurama wants to save it for lunch."

Yusuke scanned his surroundings. He couldn't tell last night, seeing as it had been so dark, but the spot they had chosen to camp in was surrounded with more of those strange little stone statues from the staircase leading up to the town. Other then that, the forest seemed normal, with giant trees, and chirping birds. In fact, the stones seemed to accent the terrain nicely.

"Ware's fox-boy?" He asked, watching Kuwabara struggle to put away the destroyed remains of the tent.

"Taking down his alarms. He wants to head out when he gets back." The taller boy replied. Giving up on the tent, he gave Yusuke a sideways glance and sighed, "Can I ask you something?"

"You just did." he smirked, tearing the snack bar package open with his teeth.

"Why do you keep trying to pick fights with Kurama? I'm not happy about this either, but if this is what he wants to do, we could at least try to support him. You know, give him a reason to want to come back after this is all over."

"He's trying to piss Shiori off so she wont miss him." he said flatly, as if that was the best reason ever to start a fight with someone.

"I know, he told me." Kuwabara said gravely, "He also told me he's been stealing stuff again, but to be honest, I don't think he ever _stopped_ stealing stuff in the first place."

"And you're okay with that?"

"No, but I know when my advice isn't wanted. There's a deep sadness in him, Urameshi, I can sense it. I don't know why you're so surprised, you get mean and distant when you're upset, too."

"I do not!" Yusuke demanded firmly through clenched teeth.

"Case in point." Kuwabara grumbled, rolling his eyes.

Yusuke mimicked back what his friend had said, leaning back onto the log and ate the rest of his breakfast in silence as Kuwabara finished with the tent. It wasn't long before Kurama returned to the group. After a quick conversation about directions, the three boys set out again.

As they walked, the red-heads talked of Kuwabaras plans for collage, and how eventfully he wanted to open up his own detective business. Yusuke couldn't seem to pay attention to any of the banter, though. More and more of those statues kept appearing the deeper they went into the forest. Eventually, tiny Tori started accompanying the little statues. He didn't want to admit it, but something about those statues were really starting to freak him out.

"What are these stupid things?" He asked after almost an hour of walking. They had reached a sloping path that lead to a low cliff lined with the strange figures and little red doors.

"They are Kodama." Kurama informed, jumping up a couple boulders onto the cliff ledge. "They protect my mountain from other demons. Are they bothering you?"

"'Your mountain'?" Yusuke rolled his eyes, "Yeah, they're kinda freaking me out, can you tell them I was invited hear?"

"Don't worry, we're almost there." Kurama smiled back at the scowling demon as he helped Kuwabara onto the ledge. "And they're supposed to freak you out, but they don't do much more then that."

"I think they're cute!" Kuwabara giggled as soon as he had secured his footing. "They don't freak me out."

"Well, you are not a demon." Kurama smiled at the taller boy as he made his way across the ledge. "Are you coming Yusuke?"

Yusuke hurried to climb the boulders and catch up to the other two. The ledge was more narrow then it looked from the ground, and Kurama alone seemed to have no trouble avoiding the roots and rocks that stuck out of the path. After a short, yet treacherous walk, the group came to what looked like a dead end. At the end of the path, another cliff face covered in vines and hidden by shrubs blocked there progress.

"We're not climbing that, are we?" Kuwabara blanched, searching for the cliffs summit.

"Oh, no," Kurama chuckled. As he approached the shrub, it began to violently shake, and suddenly split n two, revealing a hole in the rock with the entrance way painted red.

"You want us to go in _there_?" Kuwabara exclaimed, jumping behind Yusuke as if shielding himself from the hidden doorway, "I'm getting a weird feeling from that door!"

"You're such a baby!" Yusuke scolded, breaking free of Kuwabaras' grip, "It's no ware as creepy as those 'kabodo'-thingies." he walked past Kurama to examine the door more closely.

"'Kodama'," Kurama corrected, "And you probably just sense the illusion." He added to Kuwabara. "After you, Yusuke."

"Sure, why not." He muttered before crawling into the hole.

At first, he was taken' aback by how dark the tunnel was, but when he immediately found the rout straightforward, he wasted no time to try to cover the ground quickly and get out of the cramped space.

"You couldn't have found us a bigger hole to crawl into?" Kuwabara called to Kurama from some ware behind him, and he chuckled to himself, knowing if he felt cramped, the big oaf would be lucky if he didn't get stuck.

"Well, I was normally in fox-form when entering from this side, so I never needed it to be any bigger." Kuramas voice answered from a distance.

They crawled along for what seemed like hours, even though Yusuke was sure it was more like ten minutes. The heat in the small space was close to unbearable, and the walls and ground were covered with so much dust and dirt it was making it hard to breath. When Yusuke rounded the last corner and saw the shimmering light of what he assumed was the notorious den of the Spirit Fox, he inwardly sighed in relief.

"You guys, I think we're hear!" he called back to his friends as he quickened his pace.

As he reached the exit and pulled himself out of the tunnel he gasped in surprise. The light was not coming from torches like he had expected, but from the late morning sun. All reason told him that he should be standing some ware in the middle of a cave deep in the mountain, yet he was shocked to find himself on the ledge of a cliff. It seemed in fact to be the exact same cliff that they had entered the tunnel from with one strange difference; on this side of the tunnel it was Autumn.

"Whoa!" Was all he could say as he stared out at this familiar, yet foreign landscape.

"Urimeshi! Get out of the -" Kuwabara called, but cut off short as he stuck head out of the exit. "Something. . . Something doesn't seem right about this." he stuttered as he climbed out onto the ledge.

"I think. . . We traveled to a different dimension." Yusuke said in awe.

"Oh, I'm glad you two are so impressed with my work!" Kurama beamed, joining the others on the ledge and dusting himself off.

"Your work?" the two asked in unison.

"Yes," he started as he pushed past them to make his way down the ledge, "We are in fact in a cave. When I took up residency here, I took it upon myself to -shall I say- Spruce the place up a bit."

"So none of this is real?" Yusuke asked skeptically. A soft cool breeze played in his hair, and the crisp smell of fallen leaves tickled his nose. Even the 'sun' felt warm on his face. He couldn't believe it was all an illusion.

"Yeah," Kuwabara chimed in with the same look of curiosity on his face as his dark-haired friend, "I can feel it. I think only the plants are real. Everything else feels really wrong."

"I don't feel anything weird." Yusuke grumbled.

"Will you two hurry up? It's just around the corner!" Kurama called with a look of excitement that the two had never seen on him before.

The walk on this ledge seemed to take much less time, and the overgrowth that they had past the on real ledge wasn't even included in the illusion. When they reached the boulders at the end of the path, they were pleasantly surprised to find a well maintained wooden staircase spiraling down to the grown. Jumping them three at a time, Kurama hurried down and dashed behind the largest bolder and out of sight.

Yusuke and kuwabara, on the other hand, took their time, studying the odd realm they had wandered into. Only after paying close attention to there surroundings did either of them realize that the only sounds in the place were the rustling of trees in the fake breeze and what they could assume was a equally made up waterfall in the distance. All of the sounds of animals that the real forest had were not included in this mirror image.

They rounded the bolder when they reached the bottom, just as Kurama did, and again stopped in shock. Kurama stood waiting for them, leaning against a large archway in the cliff face. The cavern behind him, illuminated in the harsh angles of the sun, was obviously his Den. Though they couldn't see much from the vantage point outside the cave, but the walls of the hallway were paved with sparkling gems and intricately sewn tapestries.

"Welcome to my refuge!" he greeted them with a warm smile. A light sparkled in his green eyes as he turned into a cave. It was the same kind of light that warned of secret power and arrogance. Yusuke readied himself for Youko Kurama as he followed his two taller friends down the sparkling hall.

"Well, this isn't what I expected." Kuwabara remarked as they entered the main room.

Kurama hadn't lied, it wasn't a traditional treasure hoard. The walls were lined with shelves, all of which filled with what could only be described as 'junk'. Wooden chairs draped with old and faded woolen blankets and a small stone table made up what the two visitors assumed was a sitting aria. A small hearth sat in an alcove underneath what appeared to be curved staircase at the back of the room that lead to, presumably, a second level. Open chests overflowing with what seemed to be clothing were staggered around the room in a haphazard way, making the place look cluttered. The only thing that seemed to be organized was the shelf above the hearth, witch even though the contents still seemed to be nothing but junk, looked like a place of honor for the Spirit Fox's most prized possessions. Only the shafts of artificial sunlight seeping through the cracks of the cave seemed to combat the disarray and chaos of the room.

"I know, it doesn't seem like much, but this is where I have kept all of my most prized trophies from over the past three thousand years." Kurama waved into the room with an air of satisfaction. The mischievous sparkle that played in his eyes deepened as the three made there way to the sitting aria.

"What's up the stairs?" Yusuke asked as he tepidly approached one of the chairs, testing it first to make sure it would hold his weight.

"My bedroom, and the hot-spring. The spring is why I chose this spot. It wasn't very often back then that one would find such a luxury." Kurama replied brightly as he set down his nap-sack and started rummaging through it.

"What is all this stuff?" Kuwabara asked, not even bothering to sit down, and immediately poking around the junk lining shelves, "This is the weirdest treasure I've ever seen." He added, picking up a large water-skin that had two holes that strongly resembled eye sockets.

"Well, _that_ was flesh-sculptor's favorite wine bag, I believe he had made it out of his wife, but I killed him before I got the full story." Kurama answered, pulling the food stores out of his bag. "do you guys want lunch?"

"Not anymore." Kuwabara mumbled, quickly placing the bag back on the shelf.

"Yeah, I can eat." Yusuke called absently as he rummaged through the chest that sat next to the chair he had chosen. "Why do you have all these girl clothes?" he asked, pulling out a silky pink robe with gold trim.

"That's- That's mine, actually." Kurama admitted with a hint of blush in his cheeks. "I had a bit of a. . . cross-dressing faze in my younger days."

"'Faze'," Yusuke snorted, "you still dress like a chick most of the time!" He giggled as he pulled more of the frilly clothing out of the box.

"Speaking of which," Kuwabara interjected, "did you ever call Mitarai?"

"Not yet," he sighed, "I never really planed on doing it. I just kind of felt like getting his hopes up. Vanity has always been the cruelest of my indulgences."

"You're right, Urameshi, he _is_ being a dick." Kuwabara said more to Kurama then to his friend mentioned. "you know I haven't seen the kid as happy as he was after you said you'd call him. I think he's always had a bit of a crush on you."

"Really?" he looked away, a pang of guilt hitting his heart like an arrow, "I thought it was you that he liked, you know, for saving his life."

"Maybe for a little while, but he knows I don't swing that way. You should at least let him know you're going to be in Spirit World for a while. It might be a good way to let him down easy. You're all he's been talking about all week."

"Yes, that would be the best thing to do. ." Even though his voice seemed apologetic, his eyes portrayed nothing but indifference.

"I still can't believe you hid that from me for so long." Yusuke mussed when he was sure Kuwabara was done scolding Kurama.

"Hid what?"

"That you like dudes." he said blatantly as he stood up and stretched, "kinda' irks me to think of what kind of relationship you had with Yomi before he went all power crazy on ya'."

Kurama visibly shuttered and scrunched his brow as he remembered the nature of the partnership, "You know, it kind of irks me, too."

"So, what are all of these?" Yusuke mentioning the shelf above the hearth as he approached the red-head.

"Oh! This is what I thought you would like!" He motioned Kuwabara to join them by the recently started fire.

Lined up in a row on the stone shelf, each on there own wooden platform, were seven items that seemed more cared for then anything else in the room. The first was a small blue glass ball with a white paper bow tied to the top, then a large purple bag with the conji for 'sand' written on it, and the third platform held a rather large golden seal that Yusuke recognized as being from Spirit World. The fifth platform had a crocheted stuffed-animal fox that looked so worn out, the original color was hard to tell. On the sixth, several links to a large steel chain. Resting on the seventh was a neatly folded green head-band with a gold 'rising sun' in the center. In the middle of these six, on a slightly higher pedestal, was a small dagger with intricate carvings on the blade and a handle made out of some kind of bone.

Yusuke reached for the dagger, as it was the most interesting thing on the shelf, but was stopped by Kuramas' crushing grip.

"Please don't touch that." Yusuke backed off immediately; Kurama's eyes had become dark, and his voice dangerous.

"What is that?" Kuwabara asked, almost afraid to look at the knife.

"I nearly died trying to get that from the Hunter." Yusuke immediately understood. Kurama had told him that the only demon he ever hated and feared enough to deem a true enemy was the Shadow Hunter.

"The Hunter?" Kuwabara thought, "You mean the guy you have those bad dreams about?"

"Yes. It's the only trophy I have worth keeping."

"So all this stuff's just for looking?" Yusuke muttered.

"No, just that one. But I thought you might want to have this one." Kurama carefully grabbed the head-band and presented it to Yusuke.

"Sorry, but head accessories aren't really my style."

"I don't care what you do with it, but I want you to have it. It was Raizens'."

"You knew my old man?" Yusuke had been referring to his ancestor as his father since he had returned to Living World. He carefully took it from Kuramas' outstretched hand to examine it closely with a smile.

"I knew him well enough to get on his nerves." The fox chuckled. "Kuwabara, I would like you to have the Sooth Sand." he picked up the purple bag and handed it to him.

"Thanks," The tall boy said earnestly as he took it, "What is it?"

"A sand that you can only find at the base of a special volcano in Demon World. It's explosive, so be careful with it, but if you sprinkle some outside of your house, demons cannot enter it. So it might be useful to you one day."

He studied the remaining treasures for a moment as the other two studied there gifts, "The Sky Orb should go to Genki, I know she would be honored to have it -and I'll be damned if I'll ever give it back to Mauro. I suppose I should give the chains back to Mukuro -she held a grudge against me for that one for the _longest _time."

"What about the Seal?" Yusuke asked, giving his friend a knowing look.

"A peace offering to Yanma. The others are mine."

The three stood there in silence, each lost in thought about the various items.

"So," Yusuke finally said, "You said something about lunch?"

...

A/N A Tori is a large red 'door' to signify the preasents of a Kami (spirit)

I think this is the best chapter so far. 'Kuramas Den' was how this story started, in fact, so everything up 'till now has mostly been prolog.

Thanks for reading! -L.


	10. Chapter 10

_The long conversation_

The sound of Kuwabaras' snoring was keeping him awake. He had spent the last hour trying to fall asleep, trying to banish from his mind all of the sins from his past that stared at him like angry watchmen in the dim light of the low-lit hearth. Everything in the room reminded him of how far his pride and self-loathing had made him fall. Every trophy mocked him grotesquely from every corner in the dying light of those few small embers. They haunted him, as if he were living his deepest, darkest nightmares. But, he was sure it was the snoring keeping him awake.

Kurama stretched uncomfortably in his chair and looked at his watch again. He noted painfully that the scares on his wrist were all but gone already. He wished they would have stayed, a reminder of how weak he really was. Yet, his human body continued to heal itself at alarming rates, as if he were still fully demonic.

Standing up to pace -for the third time since the other red-head had fallen asleep- a thought suddenly hit him: he had completely forgotten about the hot-spring upstairs. Sighing to himself, and thinking a good bath might be just what he needed, he grabbed a random robe out of the chest closest to him, along with the dagger from the mantel and made his way up the stone stairs. As he reached the top, he could hear the light trickling sound of the small series of waterfalls that fed the pool that doubled as a bath coming from the hallway to the left, but the sounds of shuffling from the right, his old bedroom, churned his curiosity. Not wanting to go any ware near that room, he had offered it to the others, resigning to sleep in the main chamber of the den, and after a long argument, Yusuke had won the right to it.

"Yusuke?" he called as he made his way down the short corridor, "Are you still awake?"

He stopped in the doorway to take in the sight. It was so familiar it made his stomach turn slightly. The bed -if you could call it that- was exactly how he left it, a mass of pillows and disheveled blankets thrown on top of a straw mattress framed by a natural dip in the rock. On the opposing wall still stood an old wardrobe, latched and locked, but holding nothing but painful memories. Next to it still hung his old traveling cloak, the dark green fabric of the article looking washed out and old in the moonlight. The rest of the walls were still covered in vines with little white flowers that perpetually bloomed. The only other décor to the room was the stone table with a low square box atop it and benches on either that sat in front of a opening in the cliff-face, letting the light of the full moon flood the chamber. He was surprised to see Yusuke silhouetted against the window, leaning his head on his hands, staring serenely out at the view.

"Yusuke?" he called again, "Are you alright?"

The dark haired boy turned to him slowly, as if in a dream, "Yeah, I was just thinking about stuff. You couldn't sleep either?"

"No. I clearly underestimated Kuwabaras abilities to keep people awake."

"Can I ask you something?" Yusuke's voice and face suddenly serious.

"Yusuke, I told you, I don't-"

"Don't worry," he cut him off, holding a hand up in protest, "if you don't want to talk, you don't want to talk. I was just wondering how you got this?" He held the green head-band up to the light.

"Oh," Kurama relaxed, "It's an amusing little antic dote." He smiled as he reached for the lantern sitting on top of the wardrobe and making his way to the table.

"Just a little story, no big fight or something?"

"Hardly any of my treasure was acquired from fighting." He admitted as he sat across from the young demon. "In fact, I like to think of that one as a 'prize'." he smiled in an extra mischievous way.

"Lay it on me, then!" Yusuke smiled, clearly excited.

"Well, this happened about three hundred years before Raizen started that hunger strike of his." he started, and immediately felt himself sink into nostalgia, "He was then at his peak, so I had herd, and his kingdom was the most powerful territory at the time."

"So this was, like, more then a thousand years ago?"

"Give or take. Anyway, I had 'barrowed' maybe, one or two hundred of his armies riding lizards-"

"You mean those weird calamander looking things? I don't think they ride them anymore."

"They don't. Well, I had taken them to use as a distraction to get into his rival territories capital."

"What was there?"

"Just some normal loot, but enough of it that I could financially support my own fledgling country."

"Not Gandarra?"

Kurama chuckled, "how do you think Yomi was able to gain so much land in so little time. I had built up the foundation, he just took over running it after I abandoned it."

"No wonder you hate the guy, he stole your country!"

The red-head shrugged in response, "I was board with it, anyway."

"So what happened after you raided that other castle?" Yusuke pressed, eager to hear the story.

"Oh, well the whole incident started a war, which of course Raizen won. But he was still pretty mad that I was the one who had started the whole thing."

"Well you did steal his cavalry."

"I would have brought them back," Kurama protested, "but they were all killed during my heist." He smiled to himself at the memory, "I really should have been honored by the hit he put out on me."

"Why, what did he do?"

"He sent out word that whoever could catch me, and bring me to him alive could have his newly taken-over country, along with his ancestral crown." he mentioned to the head-band.

"This? It's a crown?"

"Of sorts. I know that it belonged to his predecessor, and to the one before that. I guess starting the war was the last straw."

"This wasn't the first time you had gotten on his bad side, I take it?"

"Nope." He said with pride, "I nearly bankrupted him some years before this."

"So how'd you get the crown?"

Kurama thought for a minuet, before taking out his pack of cigarettes and lighting one. And amusing smile played across his lips as he inhaled the smoke, "I turned myself in."

"Get out." Yusuke smirked in disbelief.

"I shackled my wrists and ankles and snuck into his fortress. When he woke up and saw me in that state, I thought he was going to kill me. 'Well, I caught me.' I had told him."

"What did he do?"

"He laughed. I didn't think it was possible for him to, but he did. He thru the head-band at me and let me go." Kurama mussed on the memory for a moment, "That's when I knew he was a good king."

"So you guy ended up friends?" Yusuke's eyes lit up at the thought.

"No, we had very different politics." He thought for a moment, "We were sort of on opposing sides." He reached for the box on the table, and pulled at a hidden drawer.

Yusuke watched his friend as he pulled out two wooden boxes that matched the large one they came from. He hadn't noticed until that moment that the top of the big box had a checkerboard pattern on it.

"What is this?"

"You've never seen a chess board before?" Kurama asked around the cigarette he held between his lips, a hint of exasperated disbelief in his voice.

"Well, now that you point it out. . ." Yusuke hung his shoulders in slight embarrassment and contended himself to watch Kurama place the little pieces from the smaller boxes on the board without anymore questions.

"Don't worry, I wont make you play. You know, if you don't know how." A smile curled around the corners of the Fox's mouth, "I just thought you would like a visual aid."

"I know you think I'm dumb and all, but I don't -"

He stopped short of his protest as Kurama gently set down a failure figure. The tiny wood carving had no color to it but the dull brown of it's natural form, and the smaller details that would have made up a face were vague at best, but the figure was defiantly Riazen. Kurama had placed him on the back row, away from the window, next to a small carving of what looked like Riazen's castle. On the other side he placed a small demon warring a kimono, then a women with scarves floating up around her, and then a small hooded figure with miniscule knives on it's fists. After that a tall man with an eye patch, and then a figure that Yusuke easily recognized as Enki. Another castle figure finished off the row.

"These are amazing!" Yusuke gasped as he picked up the tiny carving of his ancestral father. The whittled wood felt rough on his fingers. "Did you make these?"

"No, I stole them." He paused for a moment, rolling a castle from the second box between his palms before setting it in it's corner, "The whole thing is a set," he referred to the boxes strewn about that table, "and I know for a fact that this took over a hundred years to complete."

"Isn't there supposed to be a second row?" Yusuke asked, more and more intrigued with the little figures the more closely he looked at them.

"You can set them up if you like, they are just pawns." The red head shoved the first small box to Yusuke, who had set Riazen back in his place to explore the other figures.

"So this is one 'side'?" He asked, picking up the pieces in turn to look at them more closely, "I met a lot of my old man's old friends, and I only recognize Enki."

"Most Kami wouldn't have shown themselves for such an arbitrary thing as a 'strongest man wins the country' tournament." He said as he placed a woman with carefully chiseled and apparent lines across her face next to his castle. "Nothing has changed for that Class but the faces of those who live under our thumb."

"'Kami'?" Yusuke had the feeling he looked as dumb as he thought as he asked.

"I told you about it already," Kurama rolled his eyes as he placed another woman, standing strait and proud next to the first woman, "The true lords of Demon World. Spirit World may place letter classifications on us, but we still have our own Cast system to rank power. The Kami are at the top." He placed a third woman, holding her hands high above her head, next to the other two.

"So these are the strongest fighters in Demon World?" Yusuke asked skeptically as he began placing the pawns on the board. They all looked different, so he tried to mach up the way they looked to the other figures for their placing.

"No, just the most. . . 'Influential' would be a good word." He held the piece he was about to put down into the light so Yusuke could see it better, "To be a Kami means that you can fully understand and utilize your powers. To be a Kami," He finished with a hint of sadness, "is to carry the burden of being the perfect specimen of your species."

"This is you!" Yusuke exclaimed. He grabbed the small, near perfect, carving of Youko Kurama out of his friends hand. It even had a tiny whip handing from it's small hand to curl around the base. It was by far the most finished looking of the pieces.

"Not many people can recognize a Kami for what they are," He continued as he set a small Kuronue next to the empty spot the little Youko should have been taking up, "But we know our own. And the Quest Class can sense us, as well. But to everyone else, we're just normal demons."

"Why is this the first time I'm hearing about this?" the dark-haired boy asked, hurt that his friend never mentioned something so interesting as this before.

"There was never any need to." He lit another cigarette and placed the last two pieces to finish the row: A shriveled looking man in a monks robe and top hat, and another castle to finish off the line. "We've always worked in the solitude of the shadows, and most of the lower classes think we are nothing but legend."

"Why are you telling me all of this now?"

"Because you asked how I knew Riazen." He paused for a moment, taking in the sight of his friend and searching Yusuke's energy with his own, "And someday you might need to know what nitch you fill in our world."

Yusuke stared at him for a long moment. "You think I'm part of this Kami Class?" he asked finally.

"I don't think, I know. Watching you fight Yomi proved it to me. You are a Champion, just as Raizen was before you."

Yusuke scanned the board, resting his gaze on the small figure of his father. He carefully caressed the figure that he still held in his hand and his heart sank.

"Does this mean we're on opposite sides?" he asked, placing Youko into his 'king' spot on the opposing row.

"There are no more sides." Kurama said with a bite of bitterness to his voice, "Almost half of us are dead, if you don't count the pawns, and if you do, then it's most of us."

Yusuke had a sudden urge to reach out and hold his friend, the look of sorrow on his face broke his heart that much.

"I know how my dad died, and you told me about Kuronue," Yusuke started slowly, "that is Kuronue, right?" He pointed to the figure of the Raven.

"It is."

"How many of your sides pawns?" he felt intrusive asking, but he still wanted to know.

"All of them." he stated flatly. Then reached over to the other side and took all but one of the pawns Yusuke had set up. "Masha was burned at the stake by a bunch of Quest Class demons," He picked up the small demon in the kimono, along with Raizen and Kuronue, setting them on the table beside the board, "And I killed Yuuri myself," he removed the woman with the scarves and placed her with the rest, "I don't know ware Kaoru is, so I assume he's dead," he moved the shriveled demon from the board, "He's a 'Finder', and useless in a fight, and had a lot of enemies."

His hand paused over the woman that sat in the queen spot next to his, "Mononoke was killed by the Hunter." he said in a soft voice as he picked up the girl, staring at it intently and gently caressing it, "She was Mauro's daughter." he motioned to the woman who had been in the bishop spot next to the queen.

"A good friend of yours?" Yusuke asked tepidly, feeling even more that he was prying into matters that weren't his business.

"Mauro had arranged for us to be married." Kurama said without looking up, "A political move that would have forced my clan and hers to be able to take over all of the Ikimono lands. To prevent that from happening -and as revenge for Yuuri, among other reasons- the Cat slit her through and crucified her outside of one of my hideouts."

"I'm sorry." was all Yusuke could think to say. He hadden't seen the Fox this upset since they had first met -when his mother was dieing.

"It's alright," he whispered, "It was a long time ago. She was such a sweet girl, though, she shouldn't have had to suffer because of my sins."

"Did you love her?" The words fell from Yusukes mouth before he could stop himself, causing a surprise look from the Fox. "It's just - I thought you said you preferred men. . ." He felt stupid and intrusive as soon as he said it.

"I do." Kurama said off handedly, "But I guess I did love her, in a way. She was more like a cherished little sister to me. Someone who I wanted to protect. She was stubborn, though." He smiled to himself, "She was madly in love with me, and threw herself at me every chance she got."

"Is that why you hate the Shadow Hunter so much?" Yusuke asked solemnly, still trying to ease his curiosity and not offend his friend at the same time.

Kurama thought for a moment, his eyes hardening as they turned to the small hooded figure in the king spot across his own. He set down the little queen he had been holding and reached over slowly to not pick up, but to knock down the piece rather violently.

"The war between that Cat and myself had been going on long before either of us knew of our station." The malice in those words sent shivers down Yusukes' spine. "Most of my life had been consumed with ridding the world of that arrogant filth."

"What happened between you and that guy? You've only ever said you fought a lot."

Kurama let out a long sigh and stubbed out his cigarette, only to replace it's spot between his fingers with the neglected knife that he had stealth fully stashed under the robe next to him on the bench.

"Nothing prompted the war," he said simply as he gazed at the knife, "We just didn't like each other in a very explosive way. At first I assumed it was just the warring of our Clans, the Kitsune and the Neko have never gotten along. But even after I left the Ikimono lands for good, Nik fallowed me, always hunting me." His expression became hazy and distant as he said this, running the flat of the blade across his neck.

"You must have done something to piss him off."

"It's not uncommon in our world to have a rival for no reason. The sparing alone is worth it to make you stronger." He sighed, "Yet, once we had become Kami, we went out of our way to find reasons to hate each other."

Yusuke stared at the fallen Hunter, "So he's dead, you won?"

"Nik is dead," Kurama replied heavily, "But not by my hands."

"Hey, well at least the you don't have to worry about him anymore!" Yusuke tried to brighten the mood and get that forlorn look off Kuramas face.

"Is that how you felt when Sensui died?" Kuramas green eyes pierced Yusuke's brown ones with such an intensity that he had to look away.

"No. . ."

"The Hunter should have died by my hand alone. I wont lie and say I don't feel cheated."

"Who killed him?"

"The rest of the Neko clan, if the stories I herd during the tournament are right. Nik was a trader to the Ikimono lands, choosing a life of bounty hunting instead of staying with the Clan to fight against the Sprit World invasion. I found out about it right before I came back."

"_That's_ why you're depressed!" Yusuke gasped as the spark of enlightenment hit his brain. Looking at Kurama, it made so much sense. The cold, self-loathing look in his eyes, the way he still fiddled with the dagger dangerously close to his neck, even the energy coming off the Fox told Yusuke he was right. "The hunter was killed while you were stuck hear as a human."

Kuramas eyes hardened at the boy. Yusuke had stepped just a little to far for his comfort, but now that they were having this conversation, they might as well finish it.

"I feel like I've lost my purpose." Kurama said softly, "Everything I once had in Demon World is gone. It's all that Cat's fault, and I cannot even repay the favor."

"So how's going to Spirit World going to help?" It wasn't really a question, more of a rhetorical insult.

"I keep getting lost in my rage, Yusuke," He paused as if what he was about to say was difficult for him, "When I hit my principal, he had told me, 'From everything I'd herd about you, I expected better.'. He was mocking me. It was the same tone, the same words that Nik had used the first time we had fought. I snapped, and hit him. I don't want that to happen again. I not only let myself down, but also the Hunter. It's a burden that I'm having trouble coming to grips with."

"You know, I get that. I really do. It's how I felt when I left for Demon World to find my dad."

"At least you still had the chance to face your foe. Nik and I had unfinished business. I know it will haunt me for the rest of my life."

"Do you really think Spirit World can help? You're not going there to find him are you?"

"No, I just want to feel like my survival meant something. I can keep my family safe from me and help create peace for all three worlds better there then I can hear. My side of the board fought for unification. The other wanted to remain in anarchy. Perhaps by crushing Nik's dreams I can find some form of closure."

"After hearing all of that, man," Yusuke reached across the table to grab Kuramas free hand, "I think you _should_ go. I know how much helps to get closure."

"Thank you, Yusuke. Your support means a lot to me."

"Yeah, no problem. Next time just come out with it, though. As much as I enjoy our little talks, this would have been easer if you just told me in the first place." He gave the red-head a wide mischievous grin.

"You couldn't have been planning that I would tell you all this?" Kurama gasped.

"Maybe, maybe not," Yusuke shrugged, "But you were the one who taught me how to get information out of people, so I'll let you think what you want."

...

A/N This was the first chapter to the story when I started it, but it doesn't make sense to start a story hear. Actuly, it was the part about Raizen and Youko, but I think it's still funner in my head then it is on paper (so to speak) Let me know what you think! Thaks for reading! -L.


	11. Chapter 11

_Dreamning_

Kurama let the warm sun tickle at his cheeks for a moment as he woke up, the smell of fresh Autumn air and musty old blankets soothed him. He could hear the steady breathing of the warm body he had spent the night with at his back and sighed with a bit of relief and even more desire. He tuned over, barley opening his eyes as he reached out to caress the slim shoulder that was peeking out of the mound of wool.

"I thought you would have been gone by now." He whispered, more to himself then to the beautiful creature laying next to him.

He moved closer, burring his face into hair that smelt of freshly fallen leaves and the promise of snow, content to wait forever like that so they could wake together. They never stayed in bed together.

The peaceful silence, however, was cut short as something from the main room of his den clattered to the floor, the sound reverberating off the rock and jarring him awake. He bolted upright at the noise, panic making his human heart beat as if it were trying to escape.

_Human heart?_ He thought, confusion and realization hitting him like a sack of bricks. He turned to look for his companion, to seek out that warmth and comfort he felt just seconds ago.

His heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. He was alone in his bed. He had been dreaming again.

The sounds of Yusuke and Kuwabara arguing downstairs irritated him, as if they had intruded on something he held secret. It took him a moment to remember that he had invited them hear, and there were no more secret things that he kept locked in this room. The peace of this place had died away years ago, and nothing, not even dreaming would bring it back.

He stood up reluctantly, wishing he could go back to sleep; that he could trick himself into still believing the dream had been real, but he remembered the seven hour walk back to Kurama, and then the six hour train ride back home.

He made his way back over to the table that still had the scattered pieces of the chess set strewn around it from where he and Yusuke left it last night. In a rush, he removed the remaining pieces, and with the Hunters knife as a lever, carefully preyed open the top of the board.

Inside the shallow hidden compartment sat a small scroll case. Inside that case was the one tie he had yet to cut from Demon World. He took it out and placed it in his pocket. He studied the rest of the tables contents for a moment, before taking one of the small figures and placing it with the scroll, deciding it was too much of a treasure to leave behind.

Turning to leave, he grabbed the green cloak that hung on the wall, and wrapping himself in it, made his way down the stairs to where his friends were waiting for him with the smells of breakfast.

...

A/N This is almost a spoiler chapter. I've been having some difficulty in writing Yusukes half of the story, and thought that if I don't finish it by Thursday this might tide my lovely readers over 'till I have it ready. Maybe not, I don't know. I know it's short, but I think that it works well with what is to come. ;D

Speaking of the Yusuke part of the story, I can start adding it now, or wait a while and focuse on Kurama for the time beeing. Any thoughts on that? It would really help to know what my readers want. Thanks so much for reading! -L.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N I changed some diologe at the end. I just realized how stupid I made Keiko sound. Other then that, the chapter is the same.

...

_Yusukes Date; Part One_

Yusuke dodged the mint green colored fist that was flying towards his head with so much ease it surprised him. As the multi-mouth demon fell two reds him, off balanced by the missed blow, the former detective brought a knee up and crashed into the beasts ribs, causing an audible crack.

"I don't understand how they all seem to find me!" He said through gritted teeth.

"They can't fight humans anymore, so it makes sense that they come after you." Kuwabara said, turning off his sword as he gave a final kick to the horned, but otherwise human looking demon he had been fighting with.

The green demon hit the ground with a thud and a groan. The two boys backed up a bit to admire their handy work.

"Wish the dark tournoment had been this easy." Kuwabara chuckled, "This kind of stuff is like cake, now."

The boys left the demons in the ally and made there way back to the street they had been walking down before they had been attacked. As usual, they strutted like they owned the whole world, nodding to everyone they past.

"So what are you going to do about the job?" The taller of them asked, trying to pick up the conversation whare they had left off.

"At the bar? I don't know. I could run there everyday if I really wanted to, but Shiori might get a little suspicious about that."

Yusuke had found out the day after the camping trip that he had gotten a job at the bar he applied at. The ad in the paper had said 'bouncers wanted', but they told him over the phone that they liked his audited enough to train him to tend bar, also. The good thing about the job was that it was in the same city Kuwabara and Keiko were moving to for collage, but the bad part was that the city was a half a days train ride away from whare he lived.

"I don't see why you just don't move. I know Keiko would be happy if you were closer. I wouldn't mind either, you know."

"I know." Yusuke sighed, "But Shiori has been relying on me fore a lot of stuff these days. She barley speaks to Kurama anymore, you know."

"I don't blame her, after all that stuff he said about the mob, and then that argument when we got back."

Yusuke balanced at the memory. It had already been five since they had gotten home from the trip, but so much more time seemed to have past since then. He hadn't seen Kurama since the argument, and he almost doubted that he would before they were all supposed to meet up at Genki's in two days to see off the ambassadors and welcome the new ones.

Shiori had been waiting for them when they got home, all of the family gathered in the living room, along with a psychiatrist. She had told Kurama that they were having an intervention, and they wanted him to get help for his 'kleptomania' and his other dubious behavior.

'It's not uncommon for a child that has experienced a large amount of emotional trauma to get into these sorts of self-destructive behaviors,' The man had said, 'I understand, Shuichi, that you're the one who found your father? Would you like to talk about it?'

Why this man knew that Kuramas biological human father had killed himself and he didn't was something Yusuke didn't even pretend not to be offended about. He protested wildly that this 'shrink' was invading his home, and that families shouldn't need strangers to help them get along, and that 'Shuichi' just needed some time to figure himself out. The rest of the group listened to him bewilderedly as Kuawabara tried to drag the raging teen out of the house. Kurama just stood there, completely closed off.

When Shiori finally got Yusuke to calm down, convincing him that they were only trying to help, the two friends were allowed to stay as part of the intervention. They listened to the man blabber on and on about 'family healing' and being there for someone in a crises while Shuichi played some hand-held video game and Shirori occasionally wept uncontrollably into her husbands shoulder.

'Thank you for your time,' Kurama had said to the man when he had finished his opening speech, 'But I'm not the one who needs counseling. If you know a good grief consoler, perhaps you can give their card to my mother. This is all for her, anyway.' He had shot her a nasty look before grabbing the man roughly by the arm and shoving him out the door.

The fight that ensued afterwards was something Yusuke had never imagined he would see: Kurama and Shiori shouting at the top of there lungs at each other, her pleas choked with sobs and his protests laced with venom. The rest of the group fled from the scene like there lives depended on it.

"Kurama said they used to fight like that, back when he was little, before she got sick." Yusuke reminded Kuwabara after coming out of his thoughts of that night, "And that was nothing compared to the rows me and my mom used to have, at least nobody was throwing beer bottles at anyone."

"I know, it's just weird seeing them like this. You wouldn't think it was the same mother and son I saw at her wedding. How was she today?" She had been closed off, for the most part, since the fight.

"Fine, though if she keeps doting on me like she is I might forget I'm not really her son." He thought of the perfect morning he had with her doing house work. They had cleaned the attic together, and then fixed the leaky sink in the washroom, and over lunch they talked about Keiko and her obsessive wedding plans. "He really should appreciate what he has more then he does."

"Well, he said this was all part of some plan of his, or something. Where's he been, anyway. _He _usually meets me after school on Thursday."

"I have no idea. He left that night and didn't come back." Yusuke sighed.

"He can be such a punk, sometimes." Kuwabara mumbled as he shook his head.

They rounded the corner that would lead them to both Kuwabaras house and Keikos school in silence. Now that the two weren't fighting to save the world on a daily bases, they didn't have much to talk about but gossip.

"Oh! How's Shizuru doing with all this. All this shit with Kurama made me completely forget that she's going away, too."

"She's alright. She's planning on leaving a note for our mom saying that she's running off to America to elope with some guy she met on the internet. When she comes back in three years, she's going to tell her that the guy only wanted to marry her because he thought all Japanese women were subservient. You know, and she's not."

"Why the hell would she make up a story like that?"

"She just does stuff like that. She could have been a romance novel writer if she wanted with all the crazy scenarios that she lies about."

"You think she's going to be okay in Demon World for three years?" Yusuke asked, though he knew she would be. If anyone would be okay in that situation, it was Shizuru.

"I'd be surprised if they didn't think she was a demon already." The taller boy smiled.

They both laughed at the thought, a rare occurrence for them these days. They continued on up the hill in silence after that, keeping a keen ear out. No mater what any demon king said, demons were still on ever street corner causing some sort of mischief, and they had learned to be ready for it.

When they had reached Keiko's school, they found her, and several of her friends, waiting for them. As they approached, the group stopped gabbing and turned to stare and giggle at the boys, except for Keiko, who promptly made her way to her boy-friend in a huff.

"Where have you been? Volleyball practice was over a half an hour ago!" She demanded as she approached the duo.

"Hey! I ran into some old friends -if you get what I mean- and I just had to stop and shoot-the-shit." He winked in an overdramatic way and grinned like an idiot.

"Could you at least try to stop getting into fights every ware you go? Everyone at school thinks I'm engaged to a thug!" He felt that she was trying to be sympathetic to his unusual situation, but she was just coming off as a bitch, as usual.

"Well, you are a thug, aren't you?" Kuwabara piped in.

"And you!" She turned her attention to the carrot top, "I thought you had stopped fighting? You should try to set a better example for Yusuke!"

"She still treats us like we're still in kindergarten!" Yusuke mumbled under his breath to his friend. "If you don't want me to pick you up from school anymore, then I wont! Don't want you to have to be embarrassed on account of little old me!"

"That's not what I meant!" She quickly tried to back paddle, "I want to trust that I can rely on you for more things then punching monsters! You promised me you'd changed." She finished in a low voice, furry and sorrow evident in every word.

"Well, if they're gonna throw a punch, then I'm gonna throw one back. And you didn't seem to mind it when I was saving your ass from that bug looking guy last week." Yusuke crossed his arms and pouted.

"Hey, Keiko!" One of the girls called from the gate, "We're going to the mall, you can ditch that loser and come with, if you want."

"No, I'm fine, go on without me." She called back to her friends. They all seemed to shrug in unison, and turned to walk away in a flurry of gossipy sounding whispers and giggles.

"I get the feeling they don't like you, Urameshi." Kuawabara said daftly as they watched the girls go, "Are they giving you crap about it, Keiko, because if they are they don't seem like any friends that I would want to have."

Keiko looked away, a faint blush on her cheeks.

"Those caddy brats just don't know lucky they are that I'm around to save the world!" Yusuke mumbled at his girlfriend as he started walking back down the hill.

"You now, it wouldn't hurt you to at least try to be a normal human, Yusuke." She scolded as she caught up.

Yusuke trudged on as Keiko huffed along beside him, both oblivious in their furry to Kuwabara following them.

"So were do you want to go today, anyway?" Yusuke asked somberly as they reached the intersection leading to down town.

"I thought we could go to that caterer that I told you about."

"More wedding stuff. . . Great." Yusuke sighed.

"Well if you keep trying to brush it off, if I don't push it we wont be married for another hundred years."

Yusuke chuckled, "Well, _I_ have that time to wait." That comment earned him a rough shove from the girl at his side.

"_I_ don't!" She glared at him for a long time, and he glared back. Eventually he gave and replaced the glare with a wide grin. Immediately, she caved as well, her face softening into a smile, and closing her eyes in anticipation of the kiss Yusuke was planning on planting on her cheek.

"Not to interrupt, or anything," Kuwabara interrupted seconds before the kiss landed, "But I think we have company."

Keiko's eyes snapped open, "This is what I'm always talking about! If you're not ignoring me for Kurama, Captain Mood-Kill is always around to get you in trouble! When was the last time we spent more then three minutes together without you going off to be a superhero?"

Yusuke opened his mouth to protest, following Kuwabaras gaze to a row of bushes across the street.

"Look at me when I'm-" Keiko stopped as she, too, looked over to see what had caught the two boys attention.

"-Yelling at you." Yusuke finished his girlfriends command under his breath as he grabbed her and moved her behind him. "Sorry, Keiko, but you can finish yelling at me after I figure out what theses punks want.

The message seemed clear, even from across the busy street, but Yusuke had learned long ago not to trust first impressions, and he wasn't above assuming trickery was afoot. From behind the short hedge a small white sock on a stick was stuck up waiving erratically. The boys could sense the two demons that hid behind the bush, but couldn't sense there motives, and that's what troubled them.

"You better show yourselves!" Yusuke shouted above the rumble of traffic, "If you're looking fro trouble, you'll have to come find it!"

"Why did you tell them that?" Keiko said with the smallest hint of panic, "Now they're going to come over!"

"No they wont, it doesn't seem like there looking for a fight." Kuwabara sid as he took a fighting stance just in case.

Across the street, after what had appeared to be a small scuffle, a head with bright, big red eyes popped up into view followed by the tall slender frame of a demon wearing a mish-mash of human clothes. The small sock was still waiving hysterically fast next to him. The tall demon waived awkwardly when he realized he was being stared at, and reached down to pull his shorter and tubbier friend into view.

"Well, they don't look like fighters. . ." Yusuke said with a hint of disappointment in his voice. Yet, he had made up his mind, and telling Keiko to wait there, made his way with Kuwabara across the street.

...

A/N This one has been giving me trouble, so I'm going to post it in two parts. I'm still not sure if I'm getting into Yusukes half of the story too soon, but I figured, 'what the hell, might as well try it.' I really like his roll in all of this and don't want to rush it, so any input on this matter would be aprechiated. Hopefully I haven't sopiled things :{ Thanks for reading! R&R! -L.


	13. Chapter 13

_Kurama's Date_

Kurama knocked on the door with two swift hits. He still wasn't sure what he was thinking by coming to this place, and the best he could figure was that he was finally taking Kuwabaras advice and tell the boy he wouldn't be around anymore. He had spent the last five days cutting every tie in Living World that he could think of. All bills were paid, all stocks were liquidated, all possessions divvied out, and all farewells said. Except for the one he had been avoiding.

He waited for a few moments for an answer. When none came, he set his resolve and knocked again, this time a little louder. When still no answer came, he sighed with a bit of relief. That strange desire to seduce and dominate the boy still lingered in him whenever he thought of awkward, yet adorable, blond.

He lit a cigarette as he backed away from the door of the third floor apartment, wondering if it would have been easer if he had just called Mitarai. He took a long drag from the chemical filled stick as he leaned against the railing across from the boys front door, content to wait all night if he had to so he could let young psychic down easy.

Occasional tiny drops of rain gently fell into his hair as he leaned against the open air, and a strong cool breeze filed the open air hallway with the scents of a coming storm. He turned to look out over the street, to search the looming clouds for coming lighting. Lightning had always helped calm his nerves.

White hot flashed in the distance, followed by the welcome rumble of air and energy that accompanied it. Kurama sighed to himself as he let the coming storm clear his mind.

_What am I doing hear?_ He asked himself as self-loathing and insecurity formed a knot in the pit of his stomach. It tightened as those blue eyes flashed in his mind again, and an overwhelming urge to hurt something flooded his veins. He fought down the sensation of being sick by sucking on the cigarette again.

"Kurama! This is a surprise!" A cheery voice called from behind him, making him jump.

"Mitarai. . ." He fumbled as he turned to face the boy he had been waiting for, ". . . I. . . I'm sorry to drop by unannounced. . ."

"I didn't even know you knew wear I lived." The blond said with a hint of shock to his voice. It was obvious that he had given up hope of Kurama ever calling him, just as obvious as his excitement at seeing the red-head waiting for him outside his front door.

"Is something wrong, you look like hell?" The boys face changed from excitement to concern in seconds as he searched over the form of Kurama. The Red Head looked as if he hadn't changed his clothes in days, dark circles lined the bottom of his eyes, and his hair looked wild and untamed in it's usual low ponytail.

"I haven't been home in five days," He explained, looking away and blushing, even though there was no real need to.

"You're not, you know, fighting to save the world again are you?" Mitarai asked with a resolve that surprised Kurama. If he had to guess, he would say the boy was volunteering to help him, without even knowing what he was up against.

"Sort of," Kurama said softly, "Some things have come up with this new alliance. . ." He couldn't finish. Mitarai was staring at him with such intensity that his words escaped him. Staring with those _blue_ eyes.

A lump caught in Kuramas thought as Mitarai awkwardly searched for something to say. He looked to his door, and then down to the bag of groceries he was hugging close to his chest, then back to Kurama.

"Well," the blond said in slow confusion, "If you want to talk about it, you can come in, I just have to put these away." He motioned to the door as he fished his keys out of his pocket.

"Are you sure you want to hear about it?" Kurama asked reluctantly, yet he flicked the cigarette off the balcony and followed him across the thresh-hold, none the less.

"Of course, I do!" He said with a smile as he kicked of his shoes and made his way to the refrigerator, "I know I'm not the best fighter, but I would still like to help if something's going down."

"That's very kind of you, and rather heroic," he added with a flirty smirk, "But it's nothing like that. At least not yet that I know of."

He took off his shoes and made his way to the sitting room while Mitarai finished unpacking the groceries. The room was decorated with Western décor -most of it looking like it was second-hand- and the small cluttered space had so many 'collectible' trinkets that it rivaled his den for 'messiest living room in Japan'.

"Sorry about the mess," The younger boy called from the kitchen, "My mom's a bit of a hoarder."

"I know what that's like." Kurama chuckled back, thankful for a bit of small talk. The walls of the room were covered in collectible painted plates, and every space available was taken up buy a snow globe or porcelain dolls. It reminded him of some old-lady flea market. The room smelled heavily of dust and tea. It reminded him of something that he couldn't put his finger on.

"Would you like some tea?" Mitarai called over the clang of dishes.

"That would be lovely, thank you." He replied as he sat down on the overly large black leather couch in the middle of the room. He could tell nobody else was home, the only sounds in the whole place were of Mitarai fixing the tea. "Where is the rest of your family?"

"My mom and sister went on some 'mother-daughter' cruse. My mom really wants to stop fighting with Ki." He said in a solemn voice as he made his way to the couch next to Kurama, placing a tea tray on the coffee table in front of them. "She never does stuff like that for me. I guess that's because I'm the weird one." He added with a shrug.

"You're not that weird." Kurama said, the hint of lust in his words and the false blush on his cheeks appearing without his consent.

"So. . . So what was it you were saying about alliances, or something?" The young blond boy stammered, caught in the gaze of those mischievous green eyes. His breathing quickened; he had never been hit on before, let alone so blatantly.

"I've been called to serve the greater good in Spirit world." He said it slowly and deliberately. He forced the words to sound mournful, even though it had been his idea to leave Living World in the first place. He snuck a hand onto Mitarai's knee, "I have to leave on Saturday."

"That's in two days!" He exclaimed, unconsciously moving to hold the hand that rested on his leg in his own, "What's wrong? Why do you have to go?"

"With my history being the Spirit Fox," He stared the lie with a sigh, mostly because he didn't know why he was lying, "Spirit World thinks I'll make an excellent diplomat. They want me on there side in case the demons unify and try to invade."

"How long will you be gone?" the boy whispered, scooting closer to the Fox as he said it.

"I'm not sure. Maybe forever." He smiled bitterly to himself for what he was doing. He didn't want this, but couldn't seem to help himself.

Mitarai sighed heavily and looked away. "I'm sorry to hear that. I was hoping to get to know you better." A hot blush crossed the boys face.

Kurama squeezed the hand he was holding lightly as the knot in his stomach turned with enough force that he could feel it in his groin. His breathing hitched in his chest as he watched the blush deepen on the boys cheeks. Kurama knew that he could take anything he wanted from this virginal, innocent youth. That was all it took for his composure to break.

"I saved saying goodbye to you for last." He soothed, letting lust drip from his words, "You know, I've always thought you beautiful," He gently stroked Mitarai's chin with his free hand, turning his head to face him again. "I guess you can say I'm a sucker for blue eyes."

"I- I had no idea." He smiled, trying to avoid those green orbs that seemed to penetrate him.

Kurama closed the remaining distance between them before he had time to stop himself. He was running on instinct now, reacting to the lust and rage that tormented his soul. He cupped the boys face in his hands, his quick breath played on lips that had never been kissed.

"Do you have any idea how much I want you?" he paused, watching Mitarai's eyes search for an escape, and added the lie, "How much I've always wanted you?"

"No." It came out quick and breathy, frightened, but with a hint of invitation.

"I'll show you." He whispered before capturing Mitarai's lips in a savage, yet delicate kiss.

Mitarai responded immediately, trying to kiss back in a clumsy fashion. The boy shuddered as Kurama lowered his hand from his face to let them roam over his shoulders as he pulled him closer. He wrapped his fingers in red hair, letting the much more experienced demon take control of the embrace.

"It's such a shame that I've only now told you how I feel." Kurama whispered as he parted the kiss, thanking every God that he could think of for never having to see the boy ever again after this. "I just wanted you to know how I felt before I never see you again."

"I could wait for you." He offered in a daze, distracted by Kuramas discovery of his nipples through his shirt.

"I could never ask that of you." The plan was routine for Kurama in the old days: Profess undying love, take what he wanted, and vanish forever. He had broken thousands of hearts this way. "You deserve so much better. I just want to be with you, while I still can."

He latched onto the boys neck, kissing softly at first, and then gently sucking. Mitarai let out a moan, and Kurama took it as encouragement. He pushed him back on the couch, letting his hands roam free to experience boys torso before gently untucking his shirt.

"What are you doing?" Mitarai asked, panic cracking his voice.

"Nothing that you don't want me to do." He replied, lowering his body onto the others, effectively trapping his prey.

Kurama dipped his hands suggestively under the white polo shirt he had successfully un-tucked. A malicious grin spread across his face as Mitarai whimpered at the sensation of Kuramas hands slowly make their way up his abdomen.

"Don't you think we're rushing things?" He attempted to protest.

"My time hear is short." He whispered directly into his ear, biting at the lobe before returning to his neck, "We'll never get another chance."

He pinched at the nipple his hand had found during his roaming, and trapped the responding cry in another kiss. He wanted Mitarais body to act on it's own. He hadn't planned for the boy to be so reserved. He broke the kiss and roughly started pulling at the shirt. Mitarai, overwhelmed by the situation, let The Fox do as he pleased.

Once the shirt was off, Kurama assaulted the boys body with every trick he knew: A frenzy of lips and hands accompanied only by the soft moans and sighs from the scared human below him. He tickled, massaged, licked and scratched at the boys chest, all the while strategically avoiding his crotch.

"I want your virginity to belong to me." He said sadistically against sweat cover skin.

"I. . . I. . ." Was all the blond managed to whimper.

Kurama bit down on one of the raw and pert buds, causing the human to cry out and buck his hips up into his assailant. Kurama could feel the boys arousal as he desperately responded to the foreplay, gripping at his long hair and grinding his pelvises recklessly into whatever it came in contact with.

Kurama gently pushed the gyrating teen back down and straitened up, his own erection clearly visible beneath the layer of clothing. He slowly removed his shirt and discarded it some ware near Mitarai's. Watery blue eyes followed every movement of Kuramas hands as he slowly and erotically caressed his own chest, one hand stopping to toy with a nipple, the other reaching down to rub his constrained manhood.

"Kurama," Mitarai started, still mystified, "I'm sorry but, I think we're rushing things. I've never-"

"No 'buts'." Kurama ordered, placing a finger at Mitarai's swollen lips. His eyes had gone cold and heat consumed him. This was happening weather the little boy wanted it to or not.

Mitarai shook with fear, and maybe a small amount of anticipation, as Kurama unbuckled his own belt -slowly, as if threatening the boy gained any more outbursts. He fisted his manhood as he brought it out into view, sighing slightly with each stroke. The blond blanched as he guessed what was going to happening next, despite the wonton throbbing in his own erection.

"W- What are you going to do?" He asked, watching that vacant stare turn sadistic.

"I told you that I would show you how much I want you."

With that, Kurama moved with his demon speed, ripping the pants off the boy and pinning him against the couch, again, with his body. He moved slowly, kissing his prey feverishly and rocking into his spread legs in a way that caused the boy to scream out in reluctant pleasure and dig his nails into the smooth skin of Kuramas back.

"You want more, do you? Little whore?" Kurama growled. He spread the boys legs wider as they trembled, trying to stay shut.

"N-No, no don't." Mitarai begged softly as Kurama repositioned himself, trailing the head of his dick into the cleft of the crying boys ass.

Kurama could feel the puckered entrance and hummed pleasantly at his victory. All he had to do was thrust, just move, to slate his lust. But the crying was distracting him. And how long had Mitarai been weakly trying to push him away?

He looked back up into the boys face. Blue eyes stared back at him, waterlogged, red, and full of hatred. He choked out another sob and looked away, breathing heavily. All Kurama could do was stair. The sight of those eyes, such fear and loathing, pierced him like a knife. He pulled back from the boy slowly, as if he hoped he could somehow escape his misdeeds if he only used caution.

"I'm sorry." He finally said. Mitarai hadn't moved, being in too much of a state of shock and terror to do so.

"I'm so sorry." He said again, knowing that it wouldn't heal any wounds. He pulled up his pants and put himself away, all the while staring at the naked and trembling boy who refused to meet his gaze. "I don't know why I did that."

"Fucking demon!" Mitarai spit under his breath. With Kuramas warm body no longer assaulting him, he regained his wits quickly, "Get out."

"Mitarai-"

"I don't care, get out!" Tears swelled and overflowed as he made the demand. He moved to curl up, to cover up from his attacker.

Kurama could only nod. He gathered his shirt and dressed in silence as the boy cried to himself. With one last look at his would-have-been lover, he hastily made his way from the tiny apartment.

Once outside, he lit another cigarette. The storm was blowing at full force now, and rain splattered him as he walked down the passage way. He wanted to cry. What _was_ he thinking? He had just assaulted a friend, and never thought twice about it. _This_ was why he had to get as far away from Living World as he could. And it was all that damn Hunter's fault!

...

A/N Sorry, breaking up Yusukes chapter with this. This is my first lemonish piece of writing -ever, so break it to me easy if it sucks.

Also, I would like point out again that I AM working on the spelling and grammer. If it's turining anyone away, I'm sorry. Yet, I do think I'm improving! The feedback did help with that, so THANK YOU, you know, for pointing out my spelling mistakes;D it does help. -L.


	14. Chapter 14

_Yusukes Date: Part Two_

"Oh crap! They're coming over!" The tall lanky demon said, his monotone voice arching in panic.

"That's what we wanted! Just play it cool!" The shorter demon squeaked out a response with the eloquence of a pre-pubesante boy.

"If he kills us, it's all your fault!" The taller said, his unobrow bending wildly above his eyes as he watched the two teens gracefully avoid the traffic.

"It wont come to that." He tried to reassure his friend, "He saw our flag! Lady Mukuro said Humans don't attack people when they have white flags!"

"Right. Because a sock on a stick is _soo_ intimidating." He said sarcastically.

"I don't think it's about intimidation, I think there's something about it that makes Humans docile, you know, and not want to fight."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever herd! Urameshi isn't even a Human!"

"Huh. . . I forgot about that. . . "

"Room enough for two more at this little tea party?" Yusuke jumped in, startling the bickering demons. Once he had zoned in on them, he could hear every word the two had said, even over the hum of traffic around him.

"There's your cue." The tall one prodded the shorter one from behind his hand, as if trying to have nothing to do with the situation.

"All hail Lord Urameshi!" The shorter one started, his nerves as obvious as a sore thumb, "We are but humble messengers, sent to you from the House of Enki! Our orders have been sent to us directly from Lady-"

"Yeah. . ." Yusuke interrupted slowly, holding up his hand for emphasis, "I don't really care about any of that stuff. You might not have known this, but I'm retired."

"That's. . . That's not really an option." The tall demon sighed, bracing himself to be beaten to a pulp, "You're a demon living in Living World, so you have to register."

"Don't make him mad!" The chunky little demon whispered to his friend, shaking and grinning like a fool at the two teens.

"Register for what? Am I some kind of dog now?" Yusuke scoffed, his temper rising as he searched the cowering demons before him. They really _didn't_ look like fighters, but that didn't mean he couldn't kick their asses anyway, to get them out of his hair.

"As part of the 'No Mischief' rule," The tall one answered, his voice shaking, "All Demons in Living World need a Spot. It's like a little tracking device, only it takes up some of your power, and makes you look like a Human."

"Well, Urameshi already looks like a human," Kuwabara noted, "And have you sorry punks forgotten that he's the guy who's been trying to _save_ this world from you monsters?"

"Yeah!" Yusuke exclaimed, a sudden realization hitting him, "If this Spot thing is so great, why don't you have one, I can still see your wings behind you." He pointed to the back of the shorter Demon.

"And this one has little antennas." Kuwabara said, poking at the feelers sticking out of the tall demons forehead.

"It only makes you look like a Human to other Humans." The one with the wings sighed, clearly exasperated. "I thought this guy was supposed to be smart!" he added to his friend, arching a brow.

"He's a fighter," The other shrugged, "Most fighters are dumb and stubborn."

"Who you calling' 'dumb'?" Yusuke raged as he grabbed the tall demon by the collar, baring his small fangs. "How many of you fuckers do I have to beat-up before you leave me the hell alone?"

"That one makes your twenty-fourth this week alone," Kuwabara chuckled, trying to make light of the fight -as always, "And he'll be my twenty-first." He didn't bother with his sword, but instead, took a stance more suited to fist fighting.

"Any last words, punk?" Yusuke growled, raising his fist to punch the lights out the offending demon.

"Yusuke Stop!" Keiko yelled with a dominance that made her 'better half' cringe.

He turned to see he standing only a few feet behind him on the sidewalk, hands on her hips and one of her meanest scowls on her face. "I thought I told you to stay over there!"

"What do you think you're doing?" She demanded, but didn't wait for an answer, "Fighting out in public like this! And look at them! They're terrified! I know you saw that flag they were waving! Can't you go even five _seconds_ without getting into trouble?"

"Look at them, they're monsters! They probably want to eat you!"

Keiko gave the two cowering Demons a good long, hard look. They were weird looking, sure, but defiantly not monsters, "They don't look like monsters to me."

"The wings and antenna didn't tip you off?" Yusuke asked, half sarcastic, but half concerned.

"Yeah, these guys are defiantly not Human." Kuwabara tried reasoning with her.

"I know I can't sense them, but they look normal to me." She said firmly.

"Told you." The tall one said, trying to free himself from Yusuke's grip.

"We've already got our Spots." The short one pulled up his sleeve, exposing his forearm to the group. In the middle, near his wrist was a tiny black dot that seemed to shine with some sort of power.

"Keiko," Kuwabara turned after examining the dot, "Do these guys look Human to you?"

"Yeah. . ." She said slowly, as if it were obvious.

Yusuke grabbed the arm of the other demon, searching it for another marking like the one the demon with the fancy wings had.

"You don't have to man-handle me, it's right hear!" He said, pulling the collar of his shirt to one side, exposing the tinny dot on his neck.

"Why didn't you guys just show us those in the first place?" Yusuke demanded, losing none of intimidating demeanor.

"Have you ever fought you? It was taking all of my concentration just to not wet myself." The shorter one said rather indignantly. "You can ease up on the 'scary', now!"

"What are you fighting about, anyway?" Keiko asked, "Are you guys really Demons? You're not trying to take Yusuke back to Demon World, are you?" The note of panic in that last question made Yusuke's heart pound in appreciation.

"Oh, no nothing like that," The short one said directly to Keiko -her presents seeming to calm him, "The King want Yusuke to stay hear to help keep any rouges in line. But the Ambassador wants him Spotted, so she can keep track of him. It's part of the new immigration law."

"And what if I don't want to be Spotted?" Yusuke demanded.

"Then, I guess you'll have to take that up with her." He said, eyeing his friend, who was now nursing the arm that Yusuke had man-handled, "But she's really scary-"

"-_REALLY_ scary-" The tall demon added for emphasis.

"-And these orders came from her directly. But it's your funeral, man. If you don't want our help, I wont kill myself trying to force it on you."

"Well, I don't want it."

"Fine." He said, stretching his butterfly-ish wings, "Well just be on our way, then, and you can deal with _her_ in a few days."

"Just tell her it's not our fault. I don't want to go back to that. . . Weird place again." The tall demon added as they turned to leave, shuttering at some memory.

"Don't say we didn't warn you." The winged demon called, "And next time someone wants to talk to you, just send her over instead." He pointed at Keiko with a wink.

"That one was a weird one." Kuwabara said once the two were out of ear-shot.

"Who did they think they are, coming hear to push me around like that?"

"Well, they did say the Ambassador sent them, right? Maybe you should have taken that thing they were trying to give you." Keiko said, taking Yusuke's arm and trying to sooth him.

Yuske shrugged her off as he started walking. A strong wind picked up as the trio left the scene, but between their bickering, none of them could sense the coming storm.

...

A/N Still a little short. . . I was kinda getting board with this chapter (both parts), I think I should have waited 'till I had Kuramas bit in the bag -so to speak. But, whatever it happens, and now I can move on from this psudo-filler. (no, it's not filler, it's acctuly important.)

Anywho- The lack of reviews and a drop in my stats have me woried that the story is going down hill. If it is, I would like to know, that way I know what to do to make it better.

Also, 10 free Internets and my undying respect for anyone who caught the Cameo's! -L.


	15. Chapter 15

_The Comming Storm_

Yusuke ran for the door through the torrent of rain, not that it had mattered, he was already soaked. His date with Keiko had gone better then he had expected it to, after their encounter with the Demons, they had been able to enjoy a boring movie without too much bickering. When they left the theater, the storm was in full swing. The rain pelted down like sheets of glass, shattering on the ground around them with so much force they could barley hear the thunder that rumbled above them. Even with Yusuke's amazing speed, he couldn't carry Keiko home fast enough to keep her from getting wet. After he dropped her off, he walked home. There was something about the storm that was getting to him, but he couldn't put his finger on it. It was like walking through it cut off the world.

He didn't know why he sprinted to the door when he saw the house. The windows were dark, as they always were this late at night, and even thru the downpour the familiar scene of well tended flowerbeds and immaculately clean siding still held the same charm that it would have on a bright clear day. Nothing seemed amiss, and yet he felt a need for hast.

He unlocked the door with a fumbling hand and opened it as quietly as he could. The rest of the family would be asleep by now, and he wanted to make sure he didn't wake them. Once he got into the air conditioned living room he realized just how cold the water on his skin was. The house was silent, and his calm returned some. He slowly made his way up the stairs to the bathroom, feeling like a good hot shower would suit him nicely to get the feel of the storm off.

As he rounded into the hallway he felt it. Panic gripped him like a vice, and he was suddenly on edge. Not a single light was on and all of the doors were closed, not even the smallest of sounds could be heard. But the preasance that washed over him with such intense malice told him instantly that someone, behind one of those closed doors, was doing something awful.

He followed his senses down the hall, checking each bedroom as he went by, and gratefully finding them undisturbed. When he got to the end, the foreign power surged, and he quietly pressed an ear to the bathroom door. It was faint. So faint that he seemed more to feel the sound then actually hear it. It was the gentle swish of water against a breathing body.

Slowly, he opened the door a crack and peeked in. The light was off, and the curtains were drawn, but he could defiantly make out the shadowy form of a person sprawling in the bathtub.

He knew now why he had been panicking. He flung the door open with as much gentleness as he could muster and hit the light switch.

"Must you do that?" To Yusukes relief, Kurama was still conscious.

All Yusuke could do was stair at the scene he'd walked in on. The bathroom was perfect, as always, except for the tub. Kurama laid sprawled with his head hanging back agents the thick ceramic, his arms lounging around the lip. Blood trickled into the now vibrant red water from deep slashes on his forearms, witch were angled so as not to drip on the floor. In one hand, he held an empty glass bottle, and in the other, the knife from his den. His hair fell around him in a soggy mess, dipping into the water that matched it so well. Yusuke could tell he had been crying.

"What happened?" Yusuke said gently as he closed the door behind him and then moved over to the tub. He really wanted to be angry, but the sight of the half-dead and drunk Fox only caused sympathy to swell in him.

"I'm a terrible person, Yusuke. That's what happened." He opened his green, tear-soaked eyes, and stared at the other boy with dazed indifference.

"How long have you been in hear? Kurama, look at all this blood!" He gently pulled the bottle out of his friends hand and set it in the sink.

"I have no idea." He answered, "What time is it now?"

"Just past midnight."

"Then I've been in hear long enough that I should be dead by now, I suppose." His voice was eerie and dark, like it was when he was in his demon form.

"Kurama," he tried again, this time putting more effort into sounding consoling, "What happened?"

"I tried to rape him."

That startled Yusuke.

"What? Who? What are you talking about?"

"Mitarai. I went to see him. To tell him I was going away. I guess things got out of hand."

"That's a bit of an understatement." He breathed, eyeing his friend with an uncertainty that he had never felt before.

"Why wont I just die!" Kurama suddenly choked out, fresh tears pooling underneath his eyes.

"You don't want to die!" Yusuke said sternly and took a hold of one of Kuramas arm to start tending the wound. "Everybody has rough patches, so stop being a little bitch and start dealing with it!

Kurama didn't respond, other then laying his head back down, and sighing in a melodramatic way.

Yusuke continued to clean the red-heads wounds, and to his surprise, Kurama didn't put up a fight. He bandaged the cuts with some cotton balls and gauze he had found in the cabinet, adding a bit of the Spirit Wave to help the healing process a bit. He let the water out of the tub before attempting to pull Kuramas limp body out -he had a lot of practice getting drunk people out of bathtubs, and if the Fox was anything like his mom, the whole bathroom would be soaked if he didn't.

"I'll get you a towel," he said as he watched the water level drop around his friends pale form.

"Get the red one from my room, that way you wont see the stains." Kurama mumbled, shivering as the cool air hit his bare skin.

Yusuke tip-toed back through the hallway, thankful that everyone else still seemed to be asleep. Once in Kuramas room, he found the towel easy enough, and he grabbed some fresh cloths, as well.

Leaving the light on, he made his way back to the bathroom. With the tub empty, Kurama had sunk down into a fetal position, snoring softly in the dregs of the bloody water.

"We're not out of the woods yet." Yusuke cooed as woke him. Kurama gazed sleepily at him in a sort of confusion. Yusuke was sure that his friend was more drunk then dying.

Yusuke pulled him up, and Kurama was as cooperative as he could be in his state. He slipped incisively, but Yusuke caught him every time. Kurama clung to the side of the tub as Yusuke pulled him over it; it was like the Fox was afraid to use his legs. Yusuke knew why in a moment. As soon as he had gotten him out of the tub and standing, Kurama crashed to the floor, banging his head on the edge of the tub as he went down.

"Man! You've got to be careful!"

"I think I'm paralyzed." The red-head said in a serious voice, and then snickered at his own drunken stupidity.

Yusuke wrapped the towel around him and carefully lifted him up. He noted that, even without the weight of most of his blood, Kurama was a lot heavier then he looked. He struggled, but managed to open the door, get down the hall, and get Kurama into bed without causing a disturbance.

"Don't fall asleep again, I gotta go get your clothes." Yusuke said once he had gotten the Fox sufficiently dry.

"I want to ware that." He mumbled, pointing to a lump of dark green fabric on the floor.

"Dude, that thing is so dirty."

"I don't care." He smiled peacefully, nodding off again.

Yusuke sighed, but decided this was easer then arguing with a drunk and sleepy fox. The cloak was more like a robe, and it was much to big for the lithe teen. He suffered with all of the folds of fabric as he got Kuramas wounded arms in the sleeves as gently as he could. Once that was done, and the belt was tied, Kurama fell back onto his bed with a huff.

"You're a good friend." Kurama whispered.

"Lay on your side, idiot," Yusuke responded while rolling him over, "I don't want you choking on your own puke."

Kurama smiled sweetly at him, and decision flashed in his eyes for a moment, "Yes, I think I will tell you. Some day."

And with that, he was asleep. Yusuke didn't even care what the fox was talking about, he was just glade he had gotten him out of that tub. He tucked him in, and in a rare impulse, kissed him on the forehead before switching off the light and going to clean up the mess thy had left in the bathroom.

...

A/N HOORAY! It's finaly about to get interesting! R&R! -L.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N So, I figure that more of my readers might pay more attention to my notes if they're up hear. So, I'm going to try it. **This one is important!** I have two versions of this chapter, and this is the 'finished' version, but I'm not sure if I like it. But, since it's been like two weeks since I updated, (Sorry, to anyone who cares enough to have missed me, I've been bussy with work.) I figured that this was better then no update. But, sice I don't know if I like it, I'll put both versions up, and have a 'vote'! (Sounds like fun!) I **_REALLY_** want to know what all of you think: It will help me for future chapters! ;) If this sucks, I WANT TO KNOW! Because with my work getting bussyer, I might put this on the back burner, and if nobody likes it, or cares about it, I might not finish the story. But if you want to read more, let me know, and I promis I'll make the time for it. 8D

Also, I do want to say thank you to my reviewers for getting on me about spelling and what not. You've helped! And that's why I came to this site, to get help, so THANK YOU!

-L.

...

_Blue Eyes_

Kuramas breath hitched in his thought as he stared down into those blue eyes. He hated them. He wanted poke out those eyes, to dig his thumbs in so far that they popped. But he didn't. He couldn't. The ramifications of doing such a thing were more then the Fox could bare to think about. If he destroyed those eyes, he knew he would miss them.

"You're playing a very dangerous game, are you sure you have the stones for it?" Those blue eyes narrowed in anger while her voice made a sweet melody out of the taunt.

"You are in a _very_ bad position, Your Highness," He pressed his body closer to hers', causing her to flinch at the feel of the tree he had her pinned against, "I might even go easy on you, if you were so inclined to keep your mouth shut!" He finished coldly.

"What? And take it like some whore? That's your bag, not mine!" He could feel her writhing against him, and knew she was preparing to kick.

This time, he was not so gentle. He slammed her body into the tree, causing her to cry out in pain as leaves floated down around them. She sqwermed against him again to no avail. She was defenseless against him; weapons long discarded and energy nearly drained. All she had left was defiance. And Kurama loved defiance. It fuelled him. To him, there could be no greater pleasure then taking something that you were not allowed to have -Something that was forbidden to be had.

"I'm off duty, but you can still pay me if you like." He growled into her ear as pulled her knees up around his waist one at a time.

He watched her for a moment. Her blue eyes franticly searched for an escape, and her breathing was labored. Occasionally, her body would twitch, as if from an impulse to run away. All the while, he kept her pinned, not saying a word. He knew it was the cold indifference of his demeanor that would eventually get to her -eventually break her. It was what eventually broke everyone.

Finally, the young princess let out a heavy sigh and relaxed her body. Kurama continued to gaze at her, and she gazed back with equal venom. She almost seemed. . . Expectant.

"So you really don't have the stones, do you, Priest?" She smiled maliciously as she said it.

It was the last straw. Maybe his intention was only to scare her away from him, and maybe he really _didn't_ want anything to do with her sexually. But she had called his bluff, and he couldn't handle that.

In the blink of an eye, his lips were on hers. It was violent, more violent then what he was normally used to. He ravaged her mouth, forcing his tongue to the very back reaches of her warm cavern. He pushed her head back into the tree with a force that surprised even him, and he felt the tremor of the low painful moan rip through her body as she tried to raise he head. At this resistance, he pushed into her even harder, crushing her body between his and his creations'. This time she thrashed out, her hands finding his neck. She dug her nails into the soft skin, pushing with all of her might to pry the Fox off of her.

He answered her by, once again, slamming her into the tree. His mouth muffled her cry of pain, her lips parting drastically in an attempt to let out the sound. That only gave him easer access, which he took greedily, plundering the depths like a thief.

Finally regaining some of her composure, she bit down into his tong, earning another violent thrust from the Fox. She had been ready for it this time, though, and met his onslaught in perfect rhythm, grinding agenized his pelvis with enough force to hurt him instead.

Kurama, now enraged by the way she was choosing to fight back, moved all of his focus to his hips, rolling into her open legs with enough speed and force to knock the wind out of her. He removed one of his hands from under one of her knees, snaking his way up the contours of her body to pry one of her hands away from his neck. She immediately began kicking wildly with the abandoned leg, eventually landing a blow at the base of his tail.

Kurama let out a howl, his tail throbbing from the kick, effectively breaking off the kiss at long last. When he regained his composure, he geared up to 'chastise' her again, but stopped at the sight of her.

Those blue eyes penetrated him with a ferocity he had never seen before. It wasn't anger in those eyes, nor was it lust. Deep in those eyes, as clear as day, was a challenge. It was actually scaring him, that look in her eyes. He watched her for several seconds, her breathing coming out in heavy puffs, and her face flushed from the struggle. He had to admit, she looked beautiful -that scared him more then anything. He was only remotely aware that she had not stopped thrusting against him.

"I couldn't breath!" She whispered through labored breathing.

"That was the point." He said in a hollow voice. Something wasn't right: He was loosing control of the situation. He inwardly swore to himself for not seeing it coming.

"Sorry, but that's just not doing it for me," She smiled serenely up at him as she began lacing the fingers from her free hand through his hair, "I'd heard rumors of how. . .Satisfying you are as a lover. I guess those rumors are incorrect."

"We are not lovers, Your Highness, I am raping you." He growled through clenched teeth. Something in the way she was rolling her hips against his told him she thought otherwise.

"Then man up, and do it!" She demanded, her eyes burning a hole into his soul.

The fire in her eyes spread through his body with an intensity that shook his entire being, only to land securely in his groin. It wasn't until that moment that he realized just how aroused he was.

"You. . . You don't mean that you actually _want_ this?" The words even sounded weird to him. They sounded needy, and a dizzy panic swelled in him as he realized that _he_ wanted this.

She removed her fingers from his hair in a slow and dramatic way, spreading them seductively across his chest as she pulled apart his tunic to expose his nipples. A small grunt escaped his through as she pinched at them simultaneously and tightened her legs around his waist.

He let out a low moan as she pressed her crotch ruthlessly against his erection. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept with a woman willingly, and the few women he 'entertained' at the brothel had money to seduce him with, not their bodies. He had never expected such a heat to arise in him from something as simple as this female's form writhing against him, yet that was exactly what was happening. He had never truly enjoyed the touch of women, but _this_ woman. . . Something different burned in his skin as she feathered her fingers across his chest. Something different was slowly awakening inside of him at the feel of her breath on his neck. He could no longer deny how much he wanted her, neither to himself, or to her.

"I only want this as much as you do, Priest." She answered, dipping her hands between them to tug at the sash around his waist.

That invitation was all that he needed to let go of his composure. Gripping her hair with his free hand, he pulled her back into another rough, yet less violent kiss. No thoughts ran through his mind as he let her loosen the sash that concealed his aching need, moving on nothing but instinct to allow her room to free him from his confines.

He moaned greedily into her mouth and thrust slightly into her hand as she slowly began to stroke the moistened tip with her thumb. He trailed his hand down her neck to her breasts, groping and examining ever couture of her body. Even through her clothes she felt like she was on fire. Once he reached her crotch, he immediately found the inseam of her pants, ripping it open with a sharp nail. She gasped at the exposure as he widened the tear, and thrust her wetness into his fingers.

He took only a few moments to familiarize himself with her womanhood, making sure he knew her anatomy well enough to prevent any embarrassing blundering. When he was sure he knew that she was ready enough, he removed her hand, pulling it up to place it on his own shoulder. He thrust forward, pushing his erection into her, causing them both to moan, breaking apart the kiss.

"Are you sure about this?" He asked huskily as he paused, his member throbbing against her heat.

"You know I'll never let you hear the end of it if you back out now." She warned as she pressed her body even closer, causing him to shutter in pleasure.

He nodded, and in one swift move lined himself up to her entrance and thrust in, hard.

She cried out in a mix of pain and pleasure as he sunk deeper inside of her, hitting virgin flesh. A spasm wracked his body as the overbearing feeling of wet heat surrounded his pulsing organ, and he pulled out to thrust again, this time tearing the barrier deep in her body. Her body clenched at the pain, and she bit into his shoulder to keep herself from cry out.

Kurama paused, bracing himself on the tree behind her once he was completely inside. He had never felt something so overwhelming, and had to stop, lest he push himself over the edge to soon.

Slowly, he began to thrust into her at a gentle pace, more for his benefit then hers. Yet, the small gasps and moans coming from the Princess were too much for his lust to bear, and soon he was pounding into her wildly.

She pulled him back down into a bruising kiss, wrapping her body closely around his as he trust against her. He could feel her insides swelling, ready for release. He knew his own orgasm wasn't far off, either -she just felt so damn _good_. . .

Kurama snapped awake from the force of the euphoria. His clenched teeth vibrated harshly as he hummed a stifled scream. The spots that swam across his vision, and the aching in his groin left him in no doubt about what had just happened. It took him a few moments to realize that his hand was still wrapped around his sticky shaft, and recoiled in embarrassment to know that he had been touching himself in his sleep.

A wave a dizziness swept over him as he moved to sit up, his first orgasm as a human leaving him exhausted despite having slept for most of the night. He lay back on the pillow and sighed. Closing his eyes, blue eyes flashed in his mind and priced his soul.

"Why that one?" He whispered to himself, "Why today?" He rolled over onto his side and curled himself into a ball. The memory was taking it's toll on his mind, and before he knew it, he was crying silently as he tried to banish the images that continued to flash in his mind.

Kurama stayed that way as the sun rose through his window. He only moved when the sounds of his family rustling through the house informed him that he was the last one to get up. He uncurled himself and sat up, wiping the tearstains off his face with the back of his hand. He lazily got out of bed and changed into clean boxers, a worn pair of jeans and a loose fitting blue t-shirt. He didn't bother cleaning himself up, rationalizing that he was too overcome with grief to care, and made his way down to the kitchen.


	17. Option 2

A/N This is the 'unfinished' version of the chapter, it's a little shorter, but I think it might work just as well as the 'finished' version. **Please review these two chapters!** Any feedback I get with these WILL help my writing. As they say, everyone is there own worst critic, and I think they both suck something awfull! It will be a REALLY big help to know what the strong and weak points are to this chapter (both versions of it), and hopefully anything you guys have to offer will help make me a better writer! Thanks for your time! -L.

...

_Blue Eyes_

Kurama shuttered involuntarily as the kiss deepened. The warm body between him and the tree, to his surprise, responded immediately, and he felt strong legs slide one at a time up his thighs and around his waist. Instinctively, he pressed closer, trapping his prey against the rough bark before pulling his lips away from the mouth he had been assaulting.

"What are you doing?" He asked huskily, never opening his eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry," a breathless and seductive voice answered, "I forgot you were supposed to be raping me."

His gold eyes snapped open to immediately stare into crystal clear blue ones. He was surprised to find such passion in them, and it fueled his own passions even more. He snapped his hips forward into her crotch with enough force to shake the entire tree above them, causing the princess to gasp in pain.

"Is this a joke to you, Your Highness?" he demanded, letting go of her waist to snake a hand up to her throat, "I could kill you instead, you know."

"Then kill me," Her gaze bore into his own with an intensity he could feel in his groin. He could feel her short panting breaths on his face, and knew they were not caused by his hand around her neck. He could feel her anger slipping away to lust. She darted her tong out subtly to lick her bottom lip, making sure to catch his eye, before tightening her legs around his waist, "because you can't rape the willing."

He flushed with rage and slammed her into the tree again. She let out another cry and buried her face in the crook of his neck, ware she began to place the softest of kisses. Kurama closed his eyes again and stifled the mewing noise he felt in the pit of his thought . He new this woman was trying to turn the tables on him.

Slowly, he began rocking his hips into hers, his hardened length pulsing against the heat between her legs. She moved her hands from ware they were clutching at his tunic to intertwine in the loose strands of his hair, pulling him back down into another kiss. As her hips started to match his thrusts, he let a small moan escape him, muffled by her tong in his mouth. How could he let her do such things to him?

He broke the kiss violently, and slammed her into the tree for a third time. She cried out again, but this time it was much too sultry to be a cry of true pain.

"You don't think that I'll believe that you actually want this, do you?"

She rubbed her crotch into his as she caught her breath, feeling his very apparent erection through there clothes, "I only want it as much as you do, Priest."

They both stopped, staring at each other in disbelieving eagerness. The seconds passed by like hours as they searched each others eyes. Kurama slowly slid his hands to the clasps holding her leather cureress tight against her body. With out breaking there stare, he undid all of them in one swift movement, freeing her breast from there confines. She sighed at the action, and arched her back to rub her pert nipples lightly against the fabric of his tunic. He took this as invitation to remove his own clothing, and without thinking, shimmed out of his own top, letting it fall around his waist and her legs.

She pulled him back into another kiss, pressing there naked flesh tightly together as they began rocking against each again. Small noises came from the Princess with each thrust, and Kurama could feel his composure waning. With skilled hands, he roughly massaged her chest, teasing the little buds and causing her to break the kiss to gasp out in pleasure.

"Loose the pants." She moaned as his lips moved to the side of her face.

"Ladies first." He gave her enough time to hold onto his shoulders before slipping his hands between there bodies to rip her pants open at the inseam. His fingers immediately came into contact with the wetness her pants were hiding. He growled lustfully into her ear and lightly brushed the exposed bump between her legs with his thumb. She let her head fall back against the tree, grinding herself into his touch; she was more then ready for him.

He slid one hand beneath her, in case in her ecstasy she should slip, and with the other untied the cords holding his own pants up. As his pants fell around his legs, she thrust forward again, pressing her wet heat onto his pulsing erection.

It was his turn to cry out as the sensation filled his entire body. He pressed her back into the tree, more gently this time, and slid thru her wet folds to position himself for penetration. He placed a quick, soft kiss on her lips before plunging full force into her body. She cried out, arching her body into the intrusion. He noticed to late the tearing feeling deep inside of her as he pushed in.

"You're- You're a virgin?" He gasped. He held perfectly still, not wanting to move in her newly vandalized body before he got an answer.

"I was," She rasped, "Would that have made any difference to you, anyway?"

"I may have been more gentile with you."

"I wasn't asking for 'gentile'." She began nipping at the flesh of his neck, and tightened her legs around his body, pulling him deeper inside of herself. "Now are you going to fuck me, or am I going to have to get myself off?"

The depths of her body were too enticing for him to back down at this point. He knew he was beaten, and he didn't care. He was more then happy to oblige to her demand and began rolling his hips into hers.

She clung to his shoulders and bit at his chest while she loosened her grip on his waist to allow him more room to thrust, which he took with vigor. He started with a slow, deep rhythm, allowing himself to feel every curve of her tight and delicate insides. Lost in the sensation of her moist hot hole, he was only vaguely aware that her lips were traveling down his chest. He cried out again when she reached one of his nipples, pleasure and need coursing through him like a caged animal finally released.

She traced her fingers down from his shoulder to lightly pull at his other pert bud. He reacted by quickening his pace, grinding into her with every thrust. Moans spilled from her muffled lips each time he brushed up against her clit, beckoning for more.

He started to thrust into her in a crazed manner, slamming her back into the tree, and clutching onto her for dear life. He could feel the walls around his cock tremble as her legs started to spasm, and knew she was close to her release. His own wasn't far off, either.

She abandoned his nipples to pull him into another kiss, and he shuttered again at the sensation of her tongue traveling over his. His stiff member berried deep with in her began to ache as a fresh wave of warm wetness engulfed him. The Princess stiffened as a stifled scream wracked her body and reverberated through his mouth. His own body shook as -

Kurama snapped awake from the force of the euphoria. His clenched teeth vibrated harshly as he hummed a stifled scream. The spots that swam across his vision, and the aching in his groin left him in no doubt about what had just happened. It took him a few moments to realize that his hand was still wrapped around his sticky shaft, and recoiled in embarrassment to know that he had been touching himself in his sleep.

A wave a dizziness swept over him as he moved to sit up, his first orgasm as a human leaving him exhausted despite having slept for most of the night. He lay back on the pillow and sighed. Closing his eyes, blue eyes flashed in his mind and pierced his soul.

"Why that one?" He whispered to himself, "Why today?" He rolled over onto his side and curled himself into a ball. The memory was taking it's toll on his mind, and before he knew it, he was crying silently as he tried to banish the images that continued to flash in his mind.

Kurama stayed that way as the sun rose through his window. He only moved when the sounds of his family rustling through the house informed him that he was the last one to get up. He uncurled himself and sat up, wiping the tearstains off his face with the back of his hand. He lazily got out of bed and changed into clean boxers, a worn pair of jeans and a loose fitting blue t-shirt. He didn't bother cleaning himself up, rationalizing that he was too overcome with grief to care, and made his way down to the kitchen.


	18. Chapter 17

A/N So, I couldn't help but notce that more people have read 'Option 2' than chapter 16. I find that wierd, so if you're reading this, and you haven't read both versions of 'Blue Eyes', then go back and read them both. So far, I'm concidering the first posting of it (entry 16) the offical version of the chapter, but I'll leave the second (entry 17) up, just in case. There is still time to let me know which version is better before it effects the story, but not long. (The end result will be the same, but it will effect some diolog.) Thanks for reading, everybody! And I WILL make time for this story, but the postings may be more infrequent, so don't loose heart! Reviews are aprechiated! -L.

_The Breaking Point_

The pan he had been washing clanged in the dish-rack as Yusuke tossed it away from him to dry. He picked up the spatula that was floating in the soapy water of the sink and began brushing at it with an equal amount of ferocity that he had tackled the rest of the dirty dishes Shuichi had left all over the kitchen -the little brat never cleaned up after himself. Normally it enraged him, to see the spotless household Shiori had spent most of her time cultivating going to shit like this, but this morning he welcomed the work. He even ignored the near-empty dishwashing-machine just to have something to occupy his hands. Cleaning up messes was one of his favorite distractions these days.

He huffed as he mindlessly worked, letting his thoughts trail over the events of last night. The warm sympathy he had felt for his suicidal friend had disappeared somewhere during his sleeping, and he had woke up pissed. Not just any kind of pissed, but a 'I'm-gonna-kill-that-god-damn-fox-if-he-doesn't-do-it-himself-first' kind of _pissed_. He just wasn't sure if it was because Kurama admitted to trying to rape one of their friends, or because he was being such a damn crybaby about it. Either way, he had finally had it with Kuramas crazy mood swings.

"Yusuke Dear," Shiroi's voice suddenly called to him, causing him to start and turn, dripping soapy water all over the floor, "We do have a dishwasher. You don't have to do that by hand."

Yusuke gave the woman a halfhearted smile as he watched her make her way to the other side of the room to pour herself a cup of coffee. She seemed in good spirits for a change.

"I just wanted something to do, I guess." He sighed, trying, and failing to sound as if nothing was bothering him.

"Everything alright between you and Keiko?" She asked after taking a long sip of the steaming liquid, clearly seeing through his attempt at cheerfulness to the anxiety that bubbled just beneath the surface.

"Oh, no. We're cool," He said honestly, "Just have some other stuff on my mind. . ."

He warm gaze instantly became a cold stair as she looked over the boy, "Shuichi's home, isn't he." It wasn't a question. Her insightfulness when it came to her son always left the dark hired teen amazed.

He fumbled with the spatula he was holding for a moment as he searched everywhere but her eyes. He wasn't sure whether it would be best to lie to her or not about last night's events.

"I found him in the bathtub," he said in a small voice, deciding on the truth, "He was drunk, too. I got him cleaned up and into bed."

She nodded curtly at this information, her eyes instantly becoming red with tears she refused to let fall. A silent moment passed between them, both feeling the same anger, exasperation and sorrow that overtook the household whenever anyone mentioned the red-head.

"I'm pretty sure he's going to be okay. . . You know, from last night." He tried in vain to console her.

"Did he say where he had been all week?" She asked as she set down the mug and made her way to the table with trembling legs.

"He. . . He said he had seen a friend of ours." He admitted darkly as he rushed to pull a chair for her.

"A Gangster, no doubt." She scoffed as she let Yusuke bring her her coffee.

"No, I think he's been off saying his 'farewells'. He _is_ leaving tomorrow."

"He should just stay gone this time." She whispered to herself, resting her forehead in one hand.

"I hate to admit it, but I think you're right." He said, resting a hand on her shoulder, gently rubbing a spot with his thumb, "If he wants to be this far gone, maybe we should let him."

A sudden wrenching sound from somewhere above them cut the tranquil comfort of the moment short.

"Well, I guess if he's okay enough to throw-up, that means he doesn't have to go to the hospital." Yusuke chuckled sheepishly, hoping hummer would lighten the tension the suddenly engulfed the kitchen.

They waited in tense anticipation as they listened to the quiet sounds of shuffling get closer as Kurama traveled down the stairs and through the hall, making his way towards the kitchen. As he rounded into the room, Yusuke couldn't pretend that he wasn't shocked at the sight of the normally well-composed fox. Judging by the way Shiori straitened, it was an unwelcoming sight for her as well.

Kurama stood leaning against the doorway, his loose, dark clothing falling oddly against his lithe, overly pale frame. The bandages strapped to his arms bunched and wrapped in weird places, as if he had been flailing in his sleep, and the dark red gashes were apparent in some spots. His hair hung loosely about his shoulders in a disheveled mess, framing his gaunt face and making him look like some insane vagabond. But it was his eyes that hit them the hardest -dark circles surrounded wide staring green orbs, sparkling vibrantly against the contrast of the bloodshot flesh of the whites. He franticly searched his surroundings like a cornered animal, the pupils narrowing at the sight of the two surprised onlookers.

"Good morning Mother, Yusuke." He said in a raspy whisper.

"'Morning," Yusuke said with some force, noting irritably that the anger that he was feeling didn't disappear at the pitiful sight of his friend, "You want some breakfast, or do you think you're gonna puke again?"

Kurama turned the slightest shade of green at the thought of food before bolting to the sink with a speed that outright startled Shiori to vomit again. Timidly, the woman got to her feet and made her way over to her retching son.

"This is why someone your age shouldn't drink, Shuichi." She said sternly, yet began rubbing his back in a comforting way, none the less.

"I'm fine!" The red-head choked out, shrugging off her touch and glaring daggers at her, "I just have a hangover! Stop trying to baby me, Mother!"

"Alright!" She sighed exasperatedly, "But next time you decide to get that drunk, don't come home." Her words were harsh enough that they even bit into Yusuke. Without a glance to either boys, she turned and stormed out of the room.

Yusuke stood rooted in place, arms crossed and scowl in place as he watched Kurama heave up everything he had in his stomach. He never made a sound as the hung-over teen let out the soapy and bile filled water and cleaned the sink, leaving no trace of his sickness. He didn't even move when he noticed the minute shaking in Kuramas shoulders that was a tell-tail sign of a person suppressing tears.

"You have every right to be mad at me." Kurama said after the long silence, "I just hope that one day you might understand why I'm doing this."

"I might understand _now_ if you would just talk to me."

"I can't do that. Not yet."

"What were you thinking about telling me last night?" Yusuke demanded in a soft harsh voice, "Because if it's what all this bull-shit is about, I think now would be a perfect time."

Kurama spun around, a crazed paranoia set deep in his eyes, "It is about what is going on with me. And I still can't tell you." He thought for a moment, "What did I say?"

"That I was a good friend, and that you might tell me -some day. But you're making everyone around you insane! I never thought I would be happy to see you go, but I can't stand this anymore. Shiori can't stand this anymore!"

"Good, that's how I want it."

"You're such a dumb-ass! -"

Kurama held up a hand to cut off Yusukes rant before it could start.

"I hold no objections if you want to fight about this, but can we take this somewhere else? I've traumatized my mother enough for one day, and it's not even noon yet."

"Fine." Yusuke shrugged reluctantly, and then followed the disheveled fox out the back door.

Once outside, both teens paced the well lit yard in a huff. With the sun shinning so pleasantly, and the smells and sounds of late spring still vibrant on the air, they were both a little reluctant to break the peace of the mid morning. Kurama, now in the fresh air, seemed ten times better then he did in the kitchen, even some of his color was returning under the glare of the sun. Yusuke was hard pressed to come up with any good arguments now that his friend had lost that sour look.

Kurama, however, was still as tiered as ever, and motioned for Yusuke to join him on the secluded bench that over looked the flower garden under the row of trees that separated their back yard from the neighbors.

"The sun's making me feel sick again," he remarked flatly as Yusuke caught up with him at the edge of the garden, "And if we keep our voices down, and you promise not to pry too much, I can tell you something of why I've been a bit. . . Moody."

"Yeah, well I'm not promising an-"

They both felt it. It was sudden, like walking into a wall, and it stopped them both in their tracks. In a flash, all of Yusuke's anger was gone to be replaced by the undeniable feeling of being watched. It was a dread and malice strong enough to taste. His head snapped up to look at Kurama, who had gone white as a ghost -losing what little color he had left.

Kurama's head was spinning at the sensation. His legs gave way before Yusuke could react, and he plummeted to the ground, vomiting again. A cold shiver ran through his body, sending convulsions down his spine. '_This is not possible' _was the only thought that ran through his head. He couldn't pretend that he didn't notice that the feeling only hit them once they were under the shadows of the trees.

"What the hell is this?" Yusuke exclaimed as he helped Kurama back to his feet.

To his surprise, the red-head said nothing, but grabbed him by the wrist and started running. He quickly pulled him into the garage and pulled out his keys, fumbling with them as he struggled to open the door to the sports car he had only driven once.

"WHAT IS GOING ON? WHAT WAS THAT?"

"No time for questions, just get in. We have to get away from hear fast!"

Reluctantly, Yusuke got in the car. Kurama climbed into the drivers seat, and with the expert skills of a driver much older then seventeen, backed out of the garage before the door had finished opening. Yusuke asked hundreds of questions as Kurama drove aimlessly down the streets of the small city at top speeds, all of them going unanswered. After a half hour of circling, and running red lights, they finally found themselves on a long winding country path.

"This should be far enough." Kurama mumbled as he pulled the car over and turned it off.

"Far enough for what?" Yusuke grumbled, not liking that he had been ignored for so long.

Without a word, Kurama got out of the car and started sprinting into the forest. Yusuke rushed headlong after him, determined to get some kind of answer as to what that overpowering feeling of being watched was, and why they were trying to run away from it. To his dismay, and to some relief, once he had entered under the canopy of leaves he got one of his answers: The forest was alive with that feeling, and an even more powerful sense of dread took over him -they were running _to_ it, not _from_ it.

Yusuke lost all sense of direction as he tried to followed his friend deeper into the woods. They ran for miles, that he could be sure of. He was so distracted by the feeling the very air was giving off -a demonic feeling- that he barley noticed when Kurama stopped, something small falling from the trees and blocking his path. He almost rushed past, but the glint of steel next to red hair made him skid to a halt.

"Hiei!" He exclaimed as he turned to see what had halted his friend.

The small fire demon held perfectly still, as still as the fox he stood in front of. His sword was out, and at Kuramas neck. A challenging look was on his face, but his eyes pleaded for reason.

"You promised, Hiei." Kurama said softly when neither could stand the stair-off any longer.

Hiei thought for a moment, and then with a sigh sheathed his sword and took a step back.

"Two days ago she broke through the defending line," the small, but deadly demon started as the duo begin walking, "My platoon. We held her at bay until Mukuro got there, but she managed to slip away. I've been trying to track her ever since. She came through yesterday using your Tori."

"You didn't think it would be a good idea to let me know?" Kurama spit, his words held a bitterness that shocked the other two demons.

"I know how you two fight. I wasn't about to let something that cataclysmic happen on my watch." The fire demon stated plainly.

"She would rip you to shreds!" Kurama scoffed. Hiei simply shrugged and looked away.

Yusuke followed the two, thoroughly confused. The powerful feeling pressed in around him as his friends talked about this new enemy that they both seemed to know. His irritation was at it's breaking point, but something told him to hold back his questioning until the former partners were done with formalities.

"Do you know her intentions?" Kurama asked with a steady and commanding voice.

"I assumed you."

"Were there any others?"

"No, just her."

"Were you able to wound her?"

"Like hell we were! That cat is so damned fast I'm surprised we were able to hit her at all."

"Wait a second!" Yusuke yelled, causing the demons to stop and stare at him as if they were only now realizing that he was there. The curiosity was too much for him now -he had to know what they were talking about, "Who _ARE_ you talking about?"

Hiei looked to Kurama, who in turn adverted his gaze, his eyes hidden in the long mess of his hair. Hiei glared at him for a moment before he resolved that this explanation would be left to him.

"Nekyo Kisaki." He said flatly, as if Yusuke should already know this.

"Well who the fuck is that? And why would she be after Kurama?"

"Because Nekyo Kisaki is the Shadow Hunter, Yusuke." The mournful note in Kuramas voice took the others by surprise, "She is always 'after' me."

Yusuke was stunned into a momentary stuper, "The Shadow Hunter's dead!" was all he could think to say.

"I thought so as well. I was told by her second in command himself that she had been executed. Apparently that was a lie."

"It wasn't just you," Hiei put forth, "Most of our world is under the impression that she perished two decades ago."

"Wait!" Yusuke exclaimed, a thought hitting him and driving out what the other two saying from his mind, "You told me the Shadow Hunter was a guy!"

"I did no such thing!" Kurama protested, his face snapping back up to glare at his half-demon friend. "I simply let you call her 'he' without correcting you!"

"That's the same as lying!"

"Why does it even matter? Male or female, she'll kill you if you get in her way!" Kurama huffed in exasperation, steadily becoming more regretful at his impromptu choice to bring the hot-headed fighter. Hiei suppressed a snicker as he watched the banter.

"It matters because you never tell me anything!"

"This is hardly the time for this, Yusuke! This is a dangerous situation!"

"No THIS is a dangerous situation!" He threatened, holding up a fist. "This ends now, Fox-Boy! You come clean with what's going on, or that cat is gonna out live you!"

Right as Yusuke was about to advance on the seething fox, a small dagger sped past his face, grazing the tip of his nose with razor sharp precision. The three were instantly on guard, the squabble forgotten for the moment.

"Back away, tiny Mazuku. The Fox is mine!" The cold, growling voice permeated from every direction, and the two dark-hair demons were left gaping up at the trees trying to find its source. Only Kurama kept a composed posture.

"She's hiding in the shadows. . ." Hiei breathed in aw.

"Come out, Nekyo!" Kurama called out into the trees, "We end this _now!_"

The forest around them shuttered, though there was no wind. The shadows around them seemed to lighten as a swirling dark energy engulfed them, landing several feet from where they stood. Out of the dark cloud a small figure suddenly appeared, robed all in black, a hood covering her head, and a long tail flickering behind. She poised, ready for a fight. Though her eyes were covered, her gaze penetrated Kurama with a wickedness that was rarely seen in Living World.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it. . . Priest."


	19. Chapter 18

A/N I have a bit of free time for a while, so I'm going to try to pump these out. I think I can do it, I just love this part of the story so much! I hope that you all do, too!

AND, just so there is no confusion, 'Nekyo' is pronounced like 'Tokyo', with the same voul sound at the end. (I looked it up, that's how the phonetcs of it work.) I don't know why I felt that important to point out, but whatever. Enjoy! Leave reviews please! -L.

_The Shadow Hunter_

"_It's been a long time, hasn't it. . . Priest."_

Those words echoed through Kuramas skull, reverberating around his consciousness and causing his head to spin with rage. That voice, so low and growling, yet defiantly female, stung him like thousands of tiny daggers piercing at his skin.

"You are not allowed to call me that!" His voice was dark and dangerous, more reminisante of his demon voice then his human tone.

"And why is that, Priest?" She chuckled mercilessly as she asked, her voice full a sing-song mockery.

Kuramas' composer broke, and before his friends had time enough to see it, his whip cracked to life, splitting the ground where the Hunter stood a split second before.

"What was that for!" She yelled as she landed only a few feet away from her assailant.

"You are NOT allowed to call me that!" Kurama shouted back as he re adjusted the whip for a second strike.

The hunter didn't dodge the blow, but to the surprise of the onlookers, let it wrap around her left bracer, and pulled Kurama off balance, sending him flying into the underbrush behind her.

Kurama sprang up, his whole body shaking with furry. If Hiei and Yusuke thought the Hunter was intimidating, it was nothing to the way the Fox looked as he readied himself to make another attack. He clutched fistfuls of brush, having lost hold of his whip, forming them into cattails before there eyes. Silver energy swirled around him, giving his human body an unearthly glow. His face was contorted from his usual calm demeanor into a mask of rage, his sharp green eyes beckoning his foe to make a move. His pose turned both offensive and defensive and didn't move an inch as she straitened and turned to face him.

She lunged at him, producing her small claws between her fingers as she sprang. He easily sidestepped the attack and swung a handful of grass into her chest, knocking her back into the midst of the two spectators, who scurried out of striking range. To there surprise, the Cat spun around and sped into the forest.

Kurama wasted no time, charging after the Hunter with a reckless abandon that his friends had never seen before, vanishing into the trees after her without so much as a glance to his friends. As Yusuke moved to follow, Hiei caught the back of his shirt.

"Where are you going?" he asked gruffly.

"Did you feel her energy?" he yelled at his shorter friend, "She'll kill him!"

"And that would be his own fault. He made us promise not to intervene." Hiei said firmly as he let go of his friends shirt.

" I didn't promise anything! And isn't it your 'job' to catch that freak? Shouldn't you be fighting to?" Yusuke cried, still searching the trees for signs of a struggle.

"When he kills her, I'll take her body back." He shrugged. "He'll kill us if we try to intervene, you know." He added ass an afterthought.

Yusuke pouted and plopped down onto the leaf-strewn ground. He knew it couldn't have been more then a few moments, but it seemed like the two fighters had been gone for hours. If he couldn't fight with his friend, he at least wanted to see the fight happen.

"So why'd they run off like that?" He broke the short silence, "So we wouldn't start fighting, too?"

Hiei continued to scan the trees while leaning against one. His face twitched slightly as he thought of how best to answer the question.

"There have only been a handful of demons that have seen the two of them fight and live to tell the tail. You really don't know much about the world you belong to, do you?"

Yusuke let his mouth gape as he continued to stare at the fire demon, "So why don't you enlighten me, if you think you're so smart!"

"Has he told you nothing about her?" Hiei asked with a cocked brow, never taking his eyes off the forest.

"Only that 'That horrid Cat' never gave him a moments peace. And that he -I mean she- took something important from him." He shrugged, "But I'm all ears if you know more then I do."

"As far as why they fight, that's about the extent of my knowledge, also, but everyone in our world knows that when they fight, to stay out of the way." Hiei turned to his companion, arms crossed and a serious look plastered on his face. "They've killed countless demons who have accidentally stumble into there crossfire, and have even destroyed entire cities during fights. The depths of there hatred towards each other is something of a legend in our world. Nothing else exists to them but destroying their enemy."

A sudden thought crept up on Yusuke, and he eyed the short demon for a second before asking the question that now seemed to burn in his brain.

"What do you know of the Kami?"

Hiei snapped to attention with that, and searched over the younger boy with a stair so laced with intrigue that his Jagan flickered open momentarily.

"Why do you ask?"

"Kurama said they were on 'opposing sides'. Thought you might know something about that. . ."

"I've only herd rumors," Hiei started slowly, "And they're supposed to be only that -Rumors."

"Well, Kurama said they aren't." Yusuke demanded, "He's got a chess set with all the members of that class in his den. He was the king of his side, and she was the king of the other."

Hiei thought for a moment before sliding down the length of the tree to make himself comfortable.

"According to the stories," He began in a reminiscent tone that surprised his friend, "When Spirit world started invading our world, every aspect of Demon life was controlled by one of the Kami. King Yama* wanted that to end. He wanted to control every aspect of our existence."

"That seems about right for the old ass-whip."

"Well, it's said that the Kami fought back in two very different ways -Under the banner of Mauro and led by Youko Kurama, half of demon world sought to unify, launching an all-out full-scale boarder war. The other side, led by Nekyo fought in a more chaotic way, attacking at random, often hurting Kuramas side in the process. In the end, our world was too divided to hold off Yama, and slowly he's been gaining ground ever since."

"I guess that doesn't really answer anything. . ." Yusuke let his head droop, feeling more then ever like he was being kept out of the loop.

"I may be wrong on this, but those old alliances might say something as to why they hate each other."

"And what would that be?"

"Kurama allied himself with Mauro, and even though he hates her, she has always liked him. His avocation to her meant _her_ clan would be the rulers of the Ikimoni lands, and not the Cats."

"So this is political?"

"I have no idea. They've been fighting too long for anyone to know for sure. That's just my hunch." Hiei shrugged, and resumed his scanning of the forest.

The two sat in silence after that, both consumed in their thoughts of what they would do if Kurama didn't make it out of this fight alive.

"Do you think he has a chance now?" Yusuke asked, his voice heavy, after some time.

Hiei sighed and looked skeptically back at the boy, "Hopefully the Hunter will underestimate his human body and make a mistake. If she doesn't, then yes, Yusuke, Kurama might die."

Yusuke paled at the thought, and abruptly stood up.

"Where are you going?" Hiei demanded as the brash boy started walking swiftly towards the immense power flux that signaled where the fight was being held.

"I don't care if they kill me!" He suddenly shouted, "but I'm not going to let that bitch kill Kurama over something that doesn't even matter anymore!"

Hiei let out a sigh of defeat, resolving to do what no sane demon would ever do, and got up to follow the former detective.

It didn't take them long to find the two fighters, the energy surge was strong enough that they could almost taste the fight before they saw it. It led them into a small clearing in the trees were the early afternoon sun shown bright enough to dull the colors of the tiny wildflowers that grew there. It would have been a pleasant sight, if it wasn't for the battle that was taking place.

Both demons watched in horror as they approached, instinctively hiding in the brush that outlined the field. Kurama was on the ground, flailing multiple whips up at the Hunter, who looked like she was in mid-leap, throwing those tinny daggers at him -most of them hitting. One of his whips caught her leg, and he tugged on it, bringing her crashing down with a loud thud. He stopped to pant in the moment of calm; he looked exhausted, and the two spectators knew he was close to being finished.

The Cat, however, jumped back up to her feet as if nothing was even remotely wrong. She backed up to the tee line as Kurama swung at her again, and he nearly tumbled over with the force of his own blow.

"She's going to kill him!" Yusuke whispered hysterically to Hiei, who said nothing, but his ridged demeanor spoke volumes about how he was feeling.

The Cat posed, eyeing her prey under her hood like the professional that she was. All of them could sense the malicious gaze she cast at the down-trodden Fox. In a swirl of energy, the dagger that had lodged itself into Kuramas shoulder was gone, only to reaper in her hand, along with three others. Four more appeared in her other fist. After a short sprint, she leapt up, claws ready for a killing blow, all pointed directly at Kuramas chest.

For a brief moment, the two friends thought that this was going to be the end of the Spirit Fox, but then something happened. A silver, crackling energy swam around Kurama, billowing over the tall grass like waves. Right before their eyes, the vegitation surounding the red-head started to wilt and die, it's life force being sucked right out of it by Kuramas power. The shimmering energy swirled about him before landing securely in his exposed chest -having lost his shirt somewhere in battle.

The Hunter, being in mid jump, had no way to guard against the attack. He waited standing stock still until she was a point blank range before realizing the massive ball of energy trough his outstretched hands.

It was unlike any attack either Yusuke or Hiei had ever seen before. The power of the silver explosion knocked both Kurama and the Hunter clear out of the clearing. It even knocked over the rather well protected spectators, sending them flying into a more vaunarable position. As the energy of the blow covered the ground, all sorts of vegitation sprang to life in it's wake, causing the grass that had been dead moments ago to spring back to life, growing ten times what it was with the infused demonic power.

Carefully, the two dark haired demons got up to search for the fallen combatants.

"What the fuck was that?" Yusuke cried, not caring that he was loud enough to alert the Fox and the Cat of their intrusion.

"I have no idea, I've never seen him do anything like _that_ before." Hiei confessed as he rubbed his neck. He had been slammed into a tree.

The two slowly approached the battle field, but quickly stopped as the Hunter popped out of the trees and back into the clearing.

There was no doubt about it: She was dazed. Her hood had fallen back from the force of the explosion and the two stood shocked at the sight of her. Despite the grimace of pain on her face, she was pretty -very pretty. Her stubby cat ears flicked from side to side atop her head, lightly moving the long gold and black hair that looked like was in a ponytail before the blast. Her face was youthful, but held a wisdom that belied her three-thousand-some years. Her dark eyes scanned the field warily, only momentarly pausing on the two demons that were watching her, before making her way out into the open.

"Damn it, Kurama!" She yelled as she stomped over to the other side, searching the shoulder high grass for the Fox, "What the hell was THAT for! YOU COULD HAVE BLOWN US UP! Why does everything have to be so VIOLANT with you? Some way to say 'hello'!" She stopped a short distance from the tree line, and looked down with a huff. Even from the distance, they could see her roll her eyes before she kicked, hard, at something on the ground.

"Get up!" She demanded before suddenly being propelled by another silvery attack high up into the air, and across the field before slamming into the tree directly behind Hiei and Yusuke.

In a flash that nobody saw coming, Kurama was in front of her, holding her pinned to the tree by her neck. His body seemed to be on fire with rage, his face twisted into a gruesome smirk. His hair, they all noticed, had silver streaks in it.

"You have five seconds to explain yourself before I end your life. Choose your words wisely!" He snarled at her, ignoring the gasps coming from his friends.

Instead of a answer, she grinned knowingly at him. With all the strength she had left, she raised a knee between his legs, landing a sound and powerful blow to his groin.

Kurama made a sharp high pitched noise before letting her go and slumping to the ground. "Low blow!" Was all he could say.

"NO," She yelled in his face as she slumped down in front of him, "Calling _that power_ was a low blow!"

Pain visibly shook his body as he lashed out to attacker her again, but she held up her hand, catching him in his face before his fists could land. She pushed him off easily, and knocked him backwards, leaving him sprawled on the ground. He let out a sigh of defeat, too exhausted to make anymore attacks. She didn't look any better, and resigned herself to rest against the tree as she searched her pockets while eyeing the Fox causously. After a moment of fumbling, she pulled out a small rectangular case, and retrieved what looked like two hand rolled ciggeretts. She placed one between her lips, and the other she extended to the sprawled fox in front of her. To the two younger demon's surprise, Kurama sat up and greatfully accepted the peace offering.

"What the hell is going on?" Yusuke shouted at the two, confusion and curiosity getting the better of him. Hiei glared at him as if the fool had just signed both of there death warrants.

"May I introuduse Nekyo Kisaki; Shadow Hunter; Lord of the Nikko Clan; And constant pain in my ass." Kurama said dryly after allowing Nekyo to light the cigarette for him.

"You swore!" She suddenly pronounced in shock, causing the lit cigerrett to fall from her lips. Kurama blushed slightly.

"And this is-" he began, motioning to his friends

"I know who they are: The Mazuku, and Muruko's Lap-Dog." She cut them off, eyeing them with a vivid curiosity.

"We have names, you know." Yusuke grumbled, raising his fist, but not sure if he should fight or not.

"If you know who I am, then surly you know what I'm hear for." Hiei said, advancing on the woman, and taking a pair of wrist cuffs out of his pocket.

"I don't think so." She shook her head and held out a finger, signaling he should wait.

"The laws of our world think differently, Cat." He spat as he advanced.

She rummaged through her pocket again, this time taking out a scroll, and chucked it at Hiei's head were it bounced off his face.

"I'm supposed to be hear, Lap-Dog. I'm just early."

The three looked at her in shock, and then green and brown wary eyes flicked to Hiei as he picked up the offending scroll to unroll it. He read it hastfully, his scowl becoming more pronounced the longer he read.

"This. . . This can't be right!" He said as he finished, "Why would Enki send _you_?"

"Send her hear for what?" Kurama and Yusuke asked in unison.

"I'm your Embasitor!" She squweeled in delight at the dark and surprised looks on the faces surounding her.


	20. Chapter 19

A/N This is mostly nothing but banter, but hpefuly it sets up her charictor. I've been working on this one since wendsday, and i feel it might be a bit confusing. If the continuity is off a bit, let me know. -L.

...

_Ambassador Nekyo_

Kurama stared dumbly at her for a few moments while his brain tried to wrap around that information.

"No." He said starkly, as if this would close the subject.

"You don't have a choice." She laughed back at him, "I was carefully selected, and hand picked by our gracious ruler." Only Kurama herd the hint of mock in her voice. Enki had served her once before, and he was willing to bet she still held his reigns.

"It's all in writing." Hiei sighed, looking more perturbed then Kurama about this situation. He flung the scroll back to her and shoved his hands back under his cloak.

"This is stupid!" Yusuke yelled, "Why would he send someone as dangerous as her?"

"What's with the entourage?" She cocked an eyebrow at the still stony-faced fox, referring to the dark haired demons, "Too afraid of me to say hello on your own?"

"I do not fear you, Nik, I just thought you might want someone to witness your death. Maybe someone to console your last moments. Yusuke's good for that." The taunt was empty, and they both knew it.

"Whatever." She cheerfully brushed of his venomous words.

She stood up, tossing the scroll into Kuramas lap, and made her way to Yusuke to size him up. He felt himself shiver under her intimidating gaze, her dark eyes -the deep color of midnight- seemed to see right through him. She approached him slowly, gliding circles around him as she studied him. Nothing in her movements said that she was looking for a fight, but Yusuke was hard pressed in holding back the punch he wanted to let fly. Suddenly, with a speed he had never seen before, she poked him in the neck.

"Hey!" He swung at her, only to falter and trip as she seemed to teleport a few feet from him. "What the hell was THAT for?"

"Why didn't you have a Spot?" She smiled serenely as she asked it, as if she had no clue why the boy was currently fuming, "I sent some henchmen to give all the demons in Living World Spots. You didn't get your's?"

The dumb-found look on the youths' face was priceless to his companions. Yusuke's hand flew up to the spot that she had poked, a strange pulling feeling developed there on his skin. She started laughing in earnest as he began trying to wipe it away.

"It wont come off 'till I remove it." She chuckled, "And I wont do that 'till I get to go back home."

"What do you mean, 'until you _get_ to go home'?" Kurama asked, doing well to hide the panic that suddenly quickened his heart from the others. He stood up as Nekyo slowly turned to him.

"How odd," She regarded him carefully, "I would think that even from hear, you would have herd about the war."

"I have. Though, I will admit I do not know the details."

"Mauro and I were asked to stay out of it. We're to stay out of Demon World 'till it blows over." She said after a moments contemplation.

"Well then," Kurama glared, "Do you mind telling me what this is all about?"

Her cheerful disposition melted away suddenly, frightening the others at the change, "Like you even want to know! Look everybody," She mocked, flailing about, grabbing both Hiei and Yusuke in bone crushing half hugs, "The great Cry Baby Yoko Kurama wants to know about the mess he left for us! How honored are WE that he should show such _compaction!_"

"MY mess? What _are_ you talking about?" His composure completely vanished, and his face took on the look of an exasperated and hysterical defendant. "And I'm NOT a cry-baby!"

With a growl, she shoved the two bystanders away from her with such force they both hit the ground and stomped over to get in his face, "You know EXACTLY what I'm talking about!"

"The only mess I remember leaving behind is the one _YOU_ made!" He shouted in her face, an uncharacteristic wildness taking over him.

"Right, because _I_ was the one who ran away and got myself blown-up, and decided to hide out in Living World!"

"What was I supposed to do? Wait around for your insane family to come and kill me over the problems you caused. I would have rather died! In fact, I _DID_ die. SO I WOULDN'T HAVE TO CLEAN UP AFTER YOU!"

"Clean up after ME? You're the puss that ran away! What do you think I've been doing for the past twenty years? Cleaning up after YOUR mistakes!"

"If you knew how to do anything right there would be nothing for you to clean up, so don't you DARE blame me for YOU being a traitor to your clan!"

"I only ended up a traitor because of YOUR lack of willpower!"

"And if YOU had stuck to the plan, we wouldn't even BE in this situation!"

"You're blaming me for getting caught by the SDF?" It was only remotely a question.

"Yes." He said matter-of-factly.

She let out a growl of frustration and flexed her fists. Instantly, her daggers were in her hands. "I would kill you now if I didn't need your help!"

"I'm not going to help you!"

"Yes you are!"

"No, I'm not! I'm going to Spirit World tomorrow." That shut her up for a second.

"No you're not!" She protested with the stubborn voice of an unruly child.

"Yes, I am! I have excepted the Ambassador position for Living World to Spirit World."

She laughed loudly at that, "But you're a Demon! You can't represent Humanity!"

"I can and I will." He retorted stubbornly.

"You know Mouro's there!" She pointed out quickly, thinking that that would change his mind.

"I'm aware, and I would rather deal with her then deal with you!"

At those words she took a step back. A visible hurt overtook her features. They seethed at each other, flaring what little energy they had left.

Yusuke, who was done feeling like he was watching a tennis match, walked up to the two and forced out a loud mock cough, instantly gaining their attention.

"WHAT?" They yelled in unison.

"I really don't want to be the one to break up this happy little reunion, but would someone mind telling me what the _fuck_ is going on?"

"I would mind, in fact." Kurama seethed.

"I'll tell you!" Nekyo jumped, her demeanor changing, obviously overjoyed to have a reason to oppose Kurama in any way she could.

"You don't have the clearance to tell him anything!" Kurama objected, crossing his arms, and wincing at the pain in his shoulder.

Without looking at him, her hand rose to Kuramas face in a rude gesture, "You don't have authority to make that call anymore, Fox."

"Hell, _I_ can tell you about the war, if you wanted." Hiei suddenly put in. "It broke out only a couple months ago, in the Ikimoni lands. The three ruling clans have always been the Ookami, the Kitsuni and the Nekko. In light of the resent unification, the Ookami have decided to advocate to the new Throne. Seeing this as a sign of weakness, the other two clans are, separately, trying to take over the position as leaders of the Ikimoni. Does that sound about right, Hunter?"

"No," She said sternly.

"What would you know, you've been exiled." Kurama's words jabbed at her, causing her to growl at him.

"That _is_ what the reports are telling us." Hiei insisted.

"If you're not one of us, you don't know what is going on!" She snapped at Hiei, "This all started when Ass-hole over there tried to stop me from killing my father! This has nothing to do with some 'king' on some made-up throne!"

"So how _did_ the assassination go?" Kurama asked with a bite of bitterness.

"You didn't notice that I no longer have Nihachi?" She flexed her hands again, and a different set of claws rested in her fingers -three to a side- four spiking up from her fists, the ones held by her thumbs rested inwardly across the flat of her fingers. The two that were missing were obvious, the ones that should have been between her ring and pinky fingers. Yusuke noted with some curiosity that they were the same daggers as the one Kurama had brought from his den. She waved her right hand in front of his face to show him the missing digit.

"Great." Kurama pinched at the bridge of his nose as if this was giving him a headache, "So now the Nekko clan has no proper ruler."

"_I_ am their proper ruler!" She shouted, rounding on him again.

"Well, you shouldn't be! You haven't killed me yet."

"And _that's_ what all this fuss is about."

"So you really are here to kill Kurama?" Yusuke gasped.

"If I wanted him to be dead, I would have killed him while he was puking in his back yard."

"'Puking'?" Hiei cocked an eyebrow at the red-and-silver-head, who had looked away, a mixture of horror and anger on his face.

"How - how'd you know about that?" Yusuke asked dumbly, the truth of the matter hitting hard, "you were there?"

"What? You couldn't tell?" She regarded Yusuke carefully.

"If you're not here to kill me, then why are you here?" They all could see the wheels of Kuramas mind turning for a second before it was lost behind a stony mask.

"I told you, I need your help."

"Yes, but with what?"

"Both yours and my clans are planning to move the battlefield to Living World. I told Enki that in exchange for procuring your assistance in avoiding that catastrophe, that I should be allowed Dominion over the Ikimoni lands as a separate state from his own. He agreed."

"So you plan to kill me when this war is over?"

"Or you can summit your alliance to me. I'll get both of your clans, either way, so I'll leave that choice up to you."

"Mauro and I could deal with this problem easily from Spirit World."

"Mauro's already decided to say out of it. That's why she's in Spirit World now." She said it as if she were tattling.

Kurama thought for a moment, weighing all of the options that he could think of that could ochre based on this new information. If there was an expected war in Living World, then he should stay to offer his assistance defending his new home, but the thought of being trapped into helping the Hunter churned his stomach in the most unpleasant way. The urge to vomit stole over him again.

Suddenly, he turned on point and began briskly walking away.

"Hey! Where're you-" Nekyo yelled at his back, stopping when Yusuke grabbed her wrist.

"If you don't mind, I've still got some questions!" His eyes priced her, his demon energy coming to the for-front in anticipation of a fight. To his surprise, her gaze softened to amusement as she searched him over.

"About the Spot, about what I have planned for you, or about your Father?" She smiled wickedly at him.

"About Kurama." He stated, with a hint of aw. She was being brash and offensive, and he was starting to see why Kurama didn't like her.

"That's too bad, I'm fresh out of answers on that particular subject." She mused.

"Tell me!" He yelled, twisting her arm around to dominate her posture, "Why are you doing this to him? He doesn't want anything to do with Demon World anymore!"

"Yes he does," She said calmly, Yusukes' attack obviously not effecting her the way he had wanted it to, "But his poor little cry-baby pride is making him run away. How many times has he tried to kill himself since he was rejected by our world?"

He let go of her in shock.

"It may have been one of my blades that gashed his arms, but I did not strike those blows." As she stood strait her demeanor took a more intimidating posture, "Has he never told you why he does it? Why he so often tries to end his own life?" She ended her taunt in merciless laughter, a sad bitter shadow covering her features. It frightened Yusuke -so much so that he was shocked to suddenly running after the fox, and urge to get to the bottom of all this burning in his chest.

He finally found Kurama waiting for him at the car.

"Do you mind telling me what exactly is going on?" Yusuke yelled as he slid into the passenger seat. Kurama was already buckled into the drivers side.

"When I find out what 'exactly' is going on, Yusuke, I assure you, you'll be the first person I will tell." He started the car and began speeding off in the direction of home.

"I'll make it easy for you and you can start by telling me what you did to start this war."

"I didn't die." He said plainly.

"No dice, try again."

"When a Nekko comes of age," he started resisting, as if from a text book, "They are expected to show their worth to the tribe by selecting a proper Prey, slaying them, and offering the heart to The Shadow -their God. Once this ritual is complete, they can be accepted into the tribe as true members. If this is not done, the Nekko becomes an outcast, and losses all inherent positions they may have gained by becoming an adult."

"You're her Prey." Yusuke suddenly realized the magnitude of the rivalry. "Why'd she pick you?"

"You would have to ask her that."

"And until she kills you, she's not allowed to be a member of her clan?"

"That's right."

"And if she _does_ kill you, she'll be the leader of her clan?"

"Not anymore. She killed her father. It was his dieing wish that she succeed him. In taking his life she assured that she was his heir, but not being a member of the tribe at the time, the death was viewed as an assassination, making her a traitor."

"Then what was all that talk about a plan?" Yusuke eyed the gashes on Kuramas arms with suspicion.

"To never go back to the Ikimoni lands, and let the old hierarchies fall into ruin."

"That doesn't make any sense!" Yusuke shouted, "She seems like she's all for taking over the Ikimoni lands now!"

"And she would do so, just to see it crumble when she abandons it." He sighed heavily under the criticizing stare of his companion, "This is much too complicated for me to explain now, but trust me. The last think Nekyo wants is power. I've known her long enough to be sure of that."

"Then what's she getting at?"

"I'm not sure, but whatever it is, it can't be good." His voice held a note of finality to it that told Yusuke that he wouldn't be answering any more questions.

They drove the rest of the way home in a seething silence.


	21. Chapter 20

A/N This was going to be one bad-ass fight secen, but then I got drunk and lazy, so Yusukes first fight of the story is going to be a short one. I want to get better at the fights, and this was my first mulit-opponent secen, so I hope it works out, Let me know what you think! Happy reading! :) -L.

...

_The Games Begin_

"Stop poking him!"

"You stop poking him!"

"I would have to be poking him in the first place for me to stop. Are you an idiot, or something?"

"Call me an idiot one more time and I'll scream!" Nekyo slid on the bed and straddled a very deep-sleeping Kurama and began gently poking his forehead.

"Just wake him up already!" Yusuke grumbled. It was five in the morning, and a deep grumpiness was settling over him as he watched The Hunter prod at his sleeping friend.

After a long argument about where the two boys had been for most of the day yesterday, Shiori had given in and let her son stay for dinner and allowed him to spend his last night as part of his family in his own bed. Despite the tension in the household, the evening had been a pleasant one. Kurama didn't say much to anyone, but Yusuke watched him as he watched his family drift through their evening routine, a rare calm over his features. If Yusuke had to guess, he would say that the solemn red-head was feeling a bit of remorse for the trouble that he insisted on causing.

They had both retired early, the stress of the day wearing on the two boys heavily. Yet, it had seemed to Yusuke that it only been a matter of moments that he had been asleep before he had felt a gentle poking at his forehead. He had woken up in shock, finding himself straddled by the dark demon, the same way she was straddling Kurama now.

"Do you do this to everyone, or just people you want to annoy?" He asked her through a yawn.

"I like watching people sleep." She said in a dazzy voice. "it's funny," she continued, "He looks so different."

"Yeah, well, not having a tail or ears popping out of his head might do that. . ."

She poked him one more time, a harder jab then previously. His eyes fluttered for a moment before they reluctantly opened. He bolted up in surprise as he realized he wasn't alone, sending her tumbling to the floor. He took a moment to compose himself, ignoring the sprawled and prone cat, he turned an evil eye to Yusuke.

"What is the meaning of this intrusion?" His voice was soft, but his tone was dangerous.

"Ask the psycho over their. She woke me up too, and said she'd wake everybody up if I didn't cooperate."

"I'll scream if you do anything stupid, Fox, so I'd shut up and listen if you don't want me to wake up your precious little mommy." She said popping up with a cheerfulness that belied the threat in her words.

"Fine." He said rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, his face twisted grotesquely in rage as he sized her up. "What, then, brings you to my home at this ungodly hour?"

"I had this great idea!" She said with happy enthusiasm as she pounced onto the bed, kneeling on the ruffled blankets to be eye level with the fuming fox, "The first thing I was supposed to do once I got here was find this guy who's wanted for crimes against Demon Kind."

"And you want me to help you find him." Kurama hung his shoulders, obviously not at all interested in her proposal.

"No. I already know where he is." She reared back, clearly exited with were this was going, "I have the authority to make a deal with him. My idea is this," She paused for effect, the disinterest of the two groggy boys doing nothing to detour her own mood, "Instead of taking him back to Demon World to be executed, he could take YOUR place in Spirit World as a way to pay back his debt!"

Kurama gaped at her for a second, "That is the stupidest idea I've ever herd."

"I'm going back to bed." Yusuke grumbled as he turned to leave. He made it half way to the door when a strange pinching feeling pricked at his neck. Suddenly, he felt like his entire body was pulled clean through the Spot on his neck. For a second, it was like falling in no particular direction, a force pressing so hard on his body that he felt like he would implode. And then it was over. He fell to his knees, uncontrollable shutters running through his body. He was only vaguely aware that he was back beside the bed.

"That's a clever trick." Kurama said to her, examining Yusuke closely and then helping him up to his feet.

"What the hell was that?" Yusuke gasped, breathing hard. A murderous glint appeared in his eyes as his hand moved up to rub at the Spot again.

"Nik may be called the 'Shadow Hunter'," Kurama mussed, "But her true power lies in the art of teleportation. Shadows are just the catalyst for her powers."

"That Spot will allow me to summon you whenever I want. I figured it would be the best way to keep track of al the demons in living world." A wide grin spread over her face.

"I must say, I would not have expected this kind of level of sophistication in your plans." Kurama couldn't hide the hint of surprise in his voice that belied how much he was impressed, "But I really don't care to discuses you're current tactics in your never-ending quest to be the most irritating person ever. Tell me why you think I'll go along with this idea of your's?"

"Because I'm going to do it anyway, but if you cooperate, it'll make the whole thing easier. Of course the Mazuku has no choice." She indicated to Yusuke, taking on a much more professional demeanor, "It's at least a two man job -someone to take care of the body guards, and someone to get this Fujioka guy. But it would help if I had some one to take care of the hostages."

"I'm not going anywhere!" Yusuke protested, "It's too early."

"That Spot says otherwise." She warned.

"I am going to decline. I've spent the last eighteen years not having to get mixed up in your ridicules schemes, and I've rather enjoyed it." Kuramas voice was calm, yet his eyes flashed with irritation.

She regarded him closely, black eyes meeting green in an intense stare. Yusuke shivered at the energy that seemed to generate from that stare.

"Okay, lets make a game of it." She proposed after some time, a small twitch ran through Kuramas face at her words, "Which ever one of us can make it out of this operation unscathed gets their way -If I win you have to stay in Living World with me, if you win, then you're free to go wherever you want."

He eyed her with an interest that Yusuke had never seen his friend hold before, "And all I have to do is retrieve the hostages?"

"That's it."

"And what will you be doing?"

"Getting Fujioka."

"And what kind of criminal is he?"

"He's a human, but he spent a lot of time in Demon World. He's a Trapper, and he's been selling our kind as slaves."

"And the hostages?"

"Children, Demons. Both of them."

Kurama thought on this for a moment, the wheels in his head turning around all of the odds. "All right, I'll play this game."

"Good." She smiled, and leaned over to the window to jump out. "Follow me, and try to keep up."

With that, she pounced out the window, and was instantly lost in the early morning shadows. Without a word, Kurama climbed out the window as well, hitting the ground running after her. Yusuke sighed and shrugged to no one in particular, and jumped out the window after the two.

…...

By the time the group made it to the little bunker on the side of some secluded hill, the sun was rising prominently over the horizon. The place looked abandoned, but they kept a safe distance to brief, just to be safe. From there vantage, they could see a low wall surrounding the place, and had a good view of two windows flanking a large wooden door. Half the bunker seemed to be underground.

"After I got rid of the Lap-Dog yesterday, I swung by hear to make sure he was still hear." She explained as the two huffing boys gave her a skeptical look after surveying the place. "I didn't see Fujioka or the hostages, but there were four guards lurking around the place. All of them are known to be his men."

"It looks empty now." Yusuke sighed, regretting for a moment that he had followed them, and then remembering that the Cat would have teleported him hear anyway.

"Is that the only door?" Kurama asked her. The look in his eyes spoke volumes about how prepared he thought she was.

"I don't know. I'll go check." She shrugged and began walking off, "And if you go anywhere, I'll count that as a forfeit!"

"What exactly are we doing hear?" Yusuke asked as soon as Nekyo was out of earshot. The solemn fox seemed to be immersed in studying the layout of the bunker.

"We're playing a game." He said in a jovial voice.

"Okay," Yusuke said slowly, "And what exactly does that mean? I mean, I thought you didn't like her? Why would making this a 'game' make you want to help her?"

Kurama straitened up. A penetrating gaze caught Yusuke as the red-head -who still hadn't lost the silver streaks from yesterday- turned to him.

"Now that you're involved, I suppose I owe you more of an explanation besides 'I'm her prey'."

"You got that right! You guys seem more like old chums then arch enemies."

"The truth is, I have no real reason to hate her, except that she irritates me so much. One day, not long after I had left the temple I was raised in, she simply dropped into my life."

"'Dropped in'?"

"Quite literally." Kurama nodded, "She dropped down from a tree right in front of me. She told me that I was to be her Quarry. I laughed at her -I mean REALLY laughed at her. I don't recall ever laughing before that. We fought, but we ended in a stalemate. All of our fights have always ended in stalemates. We are perfectly matched, her and I. Somewhere along the line, our fighting became political, and a problem arose -for Demon world politics to work, there has to be a victor, or you get a stand off such as was with Raizin, Mokuro and Yomi. To protect the people we served, we came up with the games. Who ever won the game won the argument."

"So you stopped fighting each other?"

"No. We agreed to only fight on our own time. It was better for the population of Demon World if we left the violent part of our feud out of our politics."

"Was this agreement before or after you two leveled entire cities?" Yusuke smirked, somewhat proud that he knew something that made the Fox's eyes bulge in surprise.

"Who told you that?"

"Hiei did, yesterday while you two were fighting."

"Well, there was only one city, and that was an unfortunate victim of a personal grievance."

"So right now, this is all political?"

"I assume so, since she's calling it a game." Kurama shrugged, "Considering the pending war, it makes sense." The slightest hint of hurt crossed his face at that thought.

"I thought you thought I never make any sense!" Nekyo practically screamed, causing the boys to jump in surprise.

"I know. It makes me worry about you; thinking that you've suddenly learned how to make sense." Kuramas voice sounded serious, but a cocked brow proved he was speaking nothing but sarcasm. He was again instantly aware again of the matters at hand, "What did you find?"

"It sounds like one guard is in the first room, but judging by noises coming from the parameter, the rest of the group is underground." She smiled proudly at her own prowess, "All we need is a diversion to get all those guards out of there."

"And a second door. . . ?" Kurama asked, exasperated. He crossed his arms to rest his head in one hand.

"As far as I can tell that second floor is cut right into the hill." She mentioned to Yusuke, "Besides, that's why we brought him along. He'll get all the guards out, and we sneak in to catch the baddie!"

"It's a bit rudimentary, but it _is_ a plan. Did someone help you with this?"

"I am perfectly capable of coming up with plans on my own. Now are we going to do this, or what?"

"And you have a plan for when we enter the dwelling? Do you know the layout?"

"It's just a couple of rooms," She grit her teeth and growled, clearly growing impatient.

"-And what do you mean I'm a 'diversion'?"

"-it means you go over there and do that 'I challenge you to a fight, so come and get me' thing that you're so good at!" She thought for a moment, "Try to knock out that wall if you can, too."

"I don't work for you, Lady!" Yusuke yelled at her.

"Yes you do." She said cheerfully, and with a pinch, the Spot pulled at Yusuke again.

The same feeling of falling in do direction hit him again, and made his stomach churn. Somehow, but he wasn't sure how, he was aware that he was moving a farther distance then he did before. As he landed his knees buckled, sending him sprawling on the ground, unable to move because of the uncontrollable spasms running through his body. A sudden bell started ring somewhere in front of him and he instantly knew were he was.

He managed to gain control of his body just in time to lift himself up and see a large wooden door open and two thick green legs walk out before a hammer smashed into the ground were his head was a second before. He sprung to his feet as he dodged, readying a blast at the same time -he didn't need to be introduced, the large demon was swinging wildly at him, and he wasn't taking any chances.

"Spirit Gun!" He shouted, and the demon, along with most of the doorway came tumbling down.

"Well, I guess that starts the diversion." He grumbled to himself as he dusted off his clothes.

In a matter of seconds, three more demons were at the gaping doorway.

"What the hell is the meaning of this? Who the fuck are you?" The most intimidating guard yelled in a boisterous voice, brandishing a large whip at Yusuke.

"You mean you don't recognize me?" Yusuke chuckled sarcastically, the thrill of battle prickling at his skin in the most pleasant way, "Drat, and I thought I was famous now!"

"We don't cater to celebrities," The big demon said darkly and nudged his two companions who began to advance, "And the boss doesn't like his vacations interrupted."

The large demon deferred the whip and Yusuke knew that the pleasantries were over. He backed out of the way of the two smaller demons as the thick whip cracked. Yusuke braced himself, but to his surprise, the lash fell on the demon to his right, who cried out and lunged forward at the pain. He sidestepped the sharp blue talons that came inches from his face and punched the offending demon in the side, causing another squeal of pain from the bird demon.

Another crack from the whip resonated through the surrounding hills and the other demon, who seemed to be some sort of plant, screeched out an awful wail. The dark brown creature rose up before Yusuke, leaving what looked like roots firmly latched into the ground. Yusuke punched at the demon, and it cried out at the impact. The odd plant person fell back from the force, pulling a rather shocked detective along with him. His fist was stuck to the thing.

Yusuke struggled to pull free, panic taking over his reason. The more he thrashed, the more stuck he became. He was only a little surprised that the plant-man didn't seem to try to attack him, but the thought was pushed out of his head at the whip cracked again, and he managed to move his head in time to see the pained look on the bird demons face.

"He's hurting you!" Yusuke said softer then he intended, but the shock of the empathy hit him hard enough lower his voice. He felt like he had a hunch as to why Demon World wanted this Fujioka guy dead.

The blue demon swung at him again, and he managed to roll out of the way -getting out of that moments danger, but further stuck to the plant-man.

"I can help you!" He shouted as the talons came down fro another way-too-close swipe. "Let me take out the big guy, and you can go free!"

Another crack rang through the air, and both demons whined mercilessly at the pain. The bird started hacking wildly, resulting in nothing but getting itself stuck in the sticky plant. The plant-man, however, began constricting at the pain, crushing the birds fingers, and putting pressure on Yusuke's arm. Slimy and sticky dark brown roots started to writhe and seize all over the odd creature, and soon the bird seemed to be completely crushed. The creature slowly wrapped around Yusuke, forming a cocoon of sorts around him.

From somewhere deep in the plant-man, he could hear a gurgling sound. A bone crunching noise made him flinch, and the defiant sound of the bird screeching out one last time hit his ears. With a sinking feeling he realized the poor guy had just been eaten. The cocoon suddenly pressed tighter and more sticky gew flooded the chamber. With an even worse sinking feeling, Yusuke realized that he was about to be the second course of the plant-mans breakfast.

Relying on cell memory, intuition, and dumb luck, Yusuke began concentrating all of his energy in his unseating heart. If there was any time to use the Spirit Wave, it was now. The plant may have been surprising, but it wasn't strong. With only minimal power, Yusuke released the blast.

Instantly the roots began melting away, a wild hissing shriek of terror erupted and then slowly died off as Yusuke broke free from the cocoon.

"That's not demon energy!" the large demon roared, cowering only slightly at the sight of his dead slaves.

"See, it really is a shame you've never herd of me. The you might have know that I was born a human. Spirit Energy does a real number on you low-levels, doesn't it?"

The demon brandished his whip again. His hands shook as he held it. He reared back to lash at Yusuke, but he was slow. In a flash and a crack, the half-demons hand was buried securely in the ribcage belonging to the large demon. A shocked look spread across his face and a small trickle of dark purple blood bubbled and spattered at his lips.

"Just so you know tour mistake, the names Yusuke Urimeshi, Son of Raizen." The large demon's eyes flashed for a second with some recognition, and the it was gone. The beast was dead before he hit the ground.

"Well _that_ was easy!" He mumbled to himself as he watched the guy twitch lifelessly.

"It should have been." Nekyo said from behind him. He spun around to see her leading a bound a gagged man out of the broken doorway. "I mean, you _are_ a Kami."

"That was fast." He gaped at her in shock.

"Like I said, two rooms." She shrugged.

"Where's Kurama?" He asked, craning his neck to look for his friend.

"Fighting with the kids. They may _technically_ be hostages, but they seem a little reluctant to letting us take them away from their father." She shrugged again and chuckled.


	22. Chapter 21

A/N MAN! I feel like this set up is taking forever. All of these rising actions are kinda making me lose sight of the main plot of the story! Well. . . not really, but I find they're a hastle to write thrugh. I just feel like I've had enough with Yusuke asking a bunch of questions -but in that lies the conundrome; How are you, the readers, supposed to find anything out about thses terribly secritive demons if nobody asks? Right? So it's up to Yusuke. But I can't tell if that puts him in a OOC kinda roll. hmm. . . Oh well, the plot isn't going to unfold it'self, I guess.

BTW, Hiei is cute in this, and it makes me sick. Also, Any one hear ever seen Outlaw Star? -L.

...

_More Secrets, Less Lies_

Yusuke paced on the porch to the inner courtyard of Genkai's compound listening to the screaming match that had been going on for over an hour. Despite his current feelings for Kurama, he was starting to pity the poor guy. The battle inside the bunker had taken almost twice as long as his battle with the three slave demons; Fujioka's trump card had defiantly been his children. The little half-demons gave the fox such a run around that by the time he had bound there wrists and ankles he had a large gash on his back, a bloody nose and a black eye. Nekyo roared with laughter when he emerged from the lower floor: she hadn't received a single scratch.

"I bet she planed that!" Yusuke said again to the indifferent looking fire-demon that was lounging on the edge of the porch, propped up by the banister.

"And for the hundredth time," The small demon droned, sighing again at the lack of his friends willingness to say anything but those five words, "Why do you care?"

Yusuke paused as if to say something, but instead he just kept on pacing. The truth was, he didn't know why he cared. All sense told him that if Kurama accepted the Game, and he lost, then he had no choice but to concede to the terms. Kurama lost, and he was the only person to blame for that. But, somewhere in his gut, he felt like Nekyo had cheated. If she knew who the hostages were, then surly she would have known that the kids were fighters. If she really wanted to be fair, she could have warned the Fox.

Suddenly, the nonsensical rumble of the shouting quieted and the door slid open with a bang. Kurama stormed out of the room, looking more angry then the two had ever seen him, and stomped down the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Hiei demanded, not moving from his spot.

"I have to get my things," he called as he stormed off, "I'm still going to Spirit World!"

"No he's not." Nekyo whispered, poking her head out the door.

Yusuke rounded on her, grabbing her by the collar, "You knew those kids would put up more of a fight then Fujioka, didn't you?"

"Hey! All it said in the file was that those kids had been kidnapped by their human father, who is a known slave trader!" Her words held a tone of indignant, but her eyes flashed with mischief.

"And you really expect us to believe that you didn't know they would fight back?"

"Let's see. . ." She pulled out of his grasp and placed a finger mockingly to her temple, "Two eight year old kids against the Legendary Spirit Fox. . . I know who _I_ would have placed my bets on."

Yusuke chose to change his tactics at that, "Why can't you just leave him alone! Can't you see he's going through a rough time here?"

"What? And being in Spirit World's gonna make him all better?" She scoffed. "He's just running away from his problems at this point."

"That is EXACTLY what I've been saying!" He said through clenched teeth. He couldn't tell if that meant that he was on the same side as her or not.

"Hey," She rounded on Hiei, "You deliver my message?"

"There and back again." He eyed her darkly. He really wasn't appreciating that she was using him as her errand-boy.

"And?" She outstretched her hand, waiting for Hiei to give her the reply.

He begrudgingly stood up and produced a scroll out of his cloak. She snatched it out of his hand and unrolled it, examining it greedily.

"Good!" She said loudly as she finished reading the short message, "Fujioka gets three years probation in Spirit World, and I get to chase around The Fox all I want."

"Kurama said this was political!" Yusuke gritted at her, "If we're gonna stop this war that you've been talking about, you better not start fights with him for no reason!"

"Nothing between the Fox and I are ever purely political. We hate each other. We're going to fight. You better get used to it."

"And the games?"

"Only a way for me to get him to do what I want." She smirked and air of satisfaction wafted around her.

"And Kurama can't really resist any challenge." Hiei put in.

"He's funny like that," She shrugged again, and then turned to Yusuke, "So enough about the Fox, I want to start briefing you on your mission. If we start working as soon as possible, we may be able to nip this thing in the butt before it starts." She motioned Yusuke to follow her back inside.

Begrudgingly, Yusuke followed her. They walked through the halls of the compound aimlessly for a while, a thick silence settling between them. After about ten minutes of watching her opening doors to random rooms, he decided that she must be lost.

"Where are we going again?" He asked, mocking her.

"Where the hell is Genkai?" She screeched in exasperation, flailing her arms about in a dramatic way.

"What is it? Around eleven?" Yusuke thought, "She's probably in the temple. Or she might be in the sitting room with your prisoners."

"Ewe, I'm not going in that temple. It's got Yama stink all over it." She curled her nose up at the thought. "I guess we can check in the sitting room."

Yusuke led the way to the room were they had dumped the Fujioka family. Along the way, Nekyo still insisted on opening every door they past, 'just to see what was in there'. He could feel his tolerance breaking a little more every time he herd a door slide open behind him: It was like she was trying to be intrusive on purpose. He couldn't help but get a little lost in thought thinking of the few things Kurama had said about The Hunter; now having met her, he could tell why she would get so far under the calm and collected fox's skin. She was loud, obnoxious and rather impulsive -not to mention rude. It wasn't all that hard to understand that she never really thought anything through just by watching her while she worked. They were polar opposites, Nekyo and Kurama. Sure, Yusuke found her annoying, but he didn't want to _kill_ her over it.

When they had reached the prisoners, the found the three quietly enjoying some tea -presumably brought in by Yukina. The spirit-cuffs that Genkai had placed on them were still firmly in place, preventing their escape, but the old woman was nowhere to be found.

"She must be out in the temple, then." Yusuke muttered. He wanted to get this over with, the silence between them reaching its breaking point, causing his annoyance to slowly melt into anger.

"Lead the way, then." She sighed, and followed Yusuke out.

"You know," Yusuke started at last, the silence between them too much for him to bear anymore, "I would like to know what exactly you think you're going to be making me do. If time is so important, don't you think I should know as soon as possible?"

"You know what? You're right." She said sternly to her self, "I'm sorry to leave you in the dark, but if I get out of order in my plans, they tend to mess up. But I guess there is no harm in telling you about it before I get permission." She smiled warmly at him as they made there way down the steps and into the sunlight.

"You really have to pay that much attention to your plans?" He asked, skeptically wondering how this impulsive beast became so powerful in the first place.

"Yeah, I'm not good at coming up with strategy, it's not really in my nature, I guess. I play most of my gigs by ear: You never have to plan for the unexpected that way -_everything_ is the unexpected."

"I guess that makes sense."

"The Fox hates it. Whenever we're forced to work together, if things go wrong he blames me. He says I screw things up because I don't think before I leap. But there are some things that you just can't plan for. I've saved his ass more then a few times, you know."

"If you hate him so much, why would you save him?"

"Because _I'm_ the one who's going to kill him. I've taken out everyone else who's gotten close. He's MY Quarry." An odd possessives glinted in her eyes.

". . . Until the SDF."

"Yeah," She snorted, "Who would have thought The Fox would throw caution to the wind and blindly attack those bustards without a reason." There was a bite of hurt in her voice.

"So you know what happened with that?" Yusuke had to admit, she had his curiosity peaked.

"Hell yeah I know what happened with that!" She shouted, as if the mere memory of it made her angry, "The idiot spent _months_ planning out the assassination of my dick of a brother! The only time we ever worked together on something _willingly_."

"You hate your brother that much?" The rage that swept across her face was enough to melt his heart.

"I hate him more then Kurama." She said darkly. "While I was supposed to kill my father, Kurama was supposed to take out Nero. Instead he decided to get himself blown up by some Spirit World hunters. In the end, I got to my father before my brother did, but the whinny little ass-wipe beat the shit out of me before I could even get out of the fortress."

"You and your brother hated your dad that much? Why didn't you just work together?"

"_He_ hated our father. I loved my dad, so much so that I was willing to risk my life to kill him."

Yusuke stopped walking and gave her a confused look.

"You don't know much about anything, do you?" She chuckled over her shoulder as she made her way into the dense and dark forest.

"I wish people would stop saying that to me." He grumbled as he caught up.

"I'm a Nekko," she chuckled, "If we don't die at the hands of our enemies, then we better damn die at the hand of our successor. My father was ill and bed-ridden, if he simply passed away, it would forever dishonor our family."

"So why wouldn't you just let your brother kill him?"

"Because _I_ am the one who is supposed to take my fathers place in our clan. I understand honor, Nero doesn't. He would run our entire clan into the ground given the chance. He's too greedy, and too power-hungry to take my fathers place."

"And Kurama was helping you because. . .?"

"Because my father helped keep the peace between the Nekko and the Kitsune for more then six thousand years. We may not like each other, but we both hate the Ookami more. Kurama and I. . . We had an understanding that no matter what took place between us, our people wouldn't suffer because of it." She said that last part darkly, as if she were deliberately hiding something from the young demon.

"Do you ever think that he was just trying to get rid of you by not taking out Nero?" He asked hesitantly after a short silence.

"I have thought that every day since it happened." Her voice was low, and a hint of a growl permeated her words. Her energy spiked with malice, and Yusuke thought that it might be best if they finished the trek up to the temple without anymore questions.

They made it to the site in no time after that, all of the demons of the woods seemed to want to stay out of their way. Nekyo refused to go into the shrine that Genkai had erected for Yama, and demanded Yusuke go get her before she started throwing rocks at the place.

"If you're going to be living hear, I'll have to ask you to respect my property." Genkai said coolly as the she and the half-demon reappeared.

"Come on, that guy's a jerk!" Nekyo protested, tossing one last rock, "I can't begin to understand why you humans seem to love him so much."

"Needing him to ascend into the afterlife might have something to do with it." A rare smile crept onto the old psychics face. Nekyo returned the smirk.

"So, I need your permission to start closing off all of the Tori in Living World," Nekyo started as they begin walking in the direction of the main compound, "We can't do it from our side -most of them are hidden."

"I've already started on that." Genkai said, getting right down to business, "As soon as Koenma sent word of the outcome of the tournament, I closed all the Tori on my property but one. As for anywhere else, I haven't had the authority, or the man power."

"I've got a team lined up to start closing them up, so you don't have to worry about recruiting Keyholders." Nekyo shrugged, casting a quick sidelong glance at the half demon following them before turning back to the old human. "Do you know were your open portal leads?"

"It's the big one in the center of Demon World," Yusuke piped in, causing the two women to wheel around, "It's the one I came back through."

"Well, that's convenient. I'll let Enki know so he can set up an Immigration Office there." Nekyo nodded in approval at the old woman.

"I assume that's the same thing that you want to do from this side?" Genkai smiled. Yusuke had the feeling that the Old Bat liked were this was going.

"I could think of no better place then right here to funnel all of the would-be immigrants too." The cat smiled down at the ex-fighter, "I know a bit of your history, and I think I've got a good sense of what you're willing to do to keep the peace."

"It's what I've been trying to do my whole life." Genkai agreed.

"Good, that makes my job easer!" Nekyo sighed in relief. "But I'll need to use your compound as a base camp. I want to work quickly, in case the war gets enough out of hand that it starts spilling over into this world. Prevention is going to be key in stopping the devastation that it might cause."

"I agree completely. In light of the circumstances, I would like to offer you any resource I have available in the aid for this cause. I've worked to hard to protect this world to see it demolished by some idiot demons who think this is a playground."

"Hey," The cat said cockily, "That's what I'm hear for."

…...

Hiei watched the two demons disappear into the maze that was Genkais main living quarters with an irritated glare. He could be home by now if it wasn't for that damn cat. She had demanded that he show her the way to Genkai's place last night after the two fools had run off, and he had quickly obliged, thinking that the sooner he got her here the sooner he could get her out of his way. When she had asked him to take the note back to Enki, he took it and ran. He was looking forward o getting back home. Back to were he belonged. Back to Mukuro.

But he was going to have to wait even longer now. Instead of heading back wonderfully grotesque confines' of his own home, Enki had sent him back to _this_ wretched place to baby-sit the new ambassador. He didn't even know if his mistress was recovering alright from the stab wound that cat had inflicted. A deep worry set itself securely in his chest -if anything were to happen to them, he would murder the cat in her sleep.

"Mr. Hiei!" A soft voice called out in surprise, startling him from his thoughts, "I didn't know you were hear!"

He turned back to the courtyard, a sudden peace coming over him at the sight of his sister.

"You can drop the 'Mr.', just call me Hiei." He tried to sound cruel, but it came out warmer then he expected.

"Oh, okay." She blushed, a warm smile playing on her lips. She made her way up to lean on the banister next to the dark demon, "Since you're hear, I was wondering-"

"-I haven't found your brother!" He snapped at her. Why did everyone think he had nothing better to do then running errands for them?

A hurt look crossed her face, but she didn't look at him, "I was just wondering if you want to talk about something, you look like you have a lot on your mind."

Her words took him aback, there seemed to be no lie in her intentions.

"You weren't going to ask me about you're long lost twin?"

"No." She looked up to him. Her eyes, so much like his, penetrated him for a moment, "If my brother wants me to find him, I think he'll come to me. You see, I've been trying very hard to take your advice." There was a knowing in her eyes that stunned Hiei, but he chose to ignore it.

"Well, good." He stammered awkwardly.

They stood together for a few moments, each waiting for the other to speak first. Yukina eventfully broke the silence.

"So, do you want to talk about what's wrong?"

"Why would you think something's wrong?" He snapped at her again. An odd but pleasant fear griped him knowing just how much she seemed to see through him.

"Well, you're really pale." She said nodding to herself, "and I can sense it in you -you're worried about something. You know, whenever something is bothering me, it always helps me to calm down if I have someone to talk to. Is everything all right in Demon World?"

"That Cat Stabbed Mukuro." The words fell from his mouth before he could stop himself.

"That's right, Yusuke did mention you have a girl-friend. That's wonderful!" Hiei's eyes widened in shock, "That you have a girlfriend, not that she was stabbed!" She quickly amended.

Hiei shrugged off her embarrassed look, and determinately sunk back into a heavy silence.

"If I remember her correctly, she's a tough fighter." Yukina took another stab at getting him to talk, "One stab wound wouldn't be life threatening, would it?"

"It's not her that I'm worried about!" He answered in hast, he wanted this conversation to end as quickly as possible. Yet, he regretted the words as soon as they left his tongue.

Yukina's eyes widened. She understood what he was getting at before he even knew what he had revealed.

"Oh, my. . ."

"-don't-"

". . . You don't mean?"

"-you DARE-"

"Hiei! This is WONDERFUL!" She squealed, and through herself into his arms, "I've been so worried that you would never recover from what our people did to you! But you _can_ love! I'm so happy for you!"

The shock of her hug wore off as the shock of her words set in. Gently, yet firmly, he removed her.

"_What_ did you just say?" He was shaking, but he couldn't tell why. He knew it wasn't from anger, and he cursed himself privately for that.

"Oh, ha ha, I don't know." She avoided his gaze and her eyes seemed to search franticly for an out, "What did I say? I was too caught up in excitement for you. . ."

"You said 'our people'."

"Did I?" She tried to play dumb.

"Yes, you did." He turned away from her in a huff, leaning back on the railing. She hung her shoulders, waiting to be reprimanded, but it never came. The two stood in an awkward silence for a long time.

"So, how long have you known?" He asked her finally, never looking at her.

"I guess since I gave you our mothers stone." She said in a weak voice. "The way you looked at it. . . You had such a longing in your eyes, a longing that didn't belong to greed."

"And that makes me your brother?" He tried to still sound skeptical, but he knew it was a lost cause.

"I've never seen anyone look at my stone without greed in there mind. But you did. Besides, you're everything that I know about my brother."

"A murderer?"

"An Emiko. The opposite of what you should be. I know my memory probably isn't as good as yours, but I think I remember the way you felt. Angry, full of passion. Miss Rei told me that you were so stubborn, even for a baby. She said, that being twins, that must be were my wild streak comes from. From my brother's fiery energy. I was born with burns because of you, you know."

Hiei snapped his head up in surprise, expecting to see a glare coming from the twin that he secretly cared so much about. Instead, she regarded him warmly.

"I'm sorry Hiei. I know you weren't ready for this. . ."

"Then why did you say anything at all?"

"I was just so exited for you! I kind of just came out!" She sighed heavily and a small look of sadness played at her features, "I was planning on waiting for you to come around on your own, but I guess I messed that up. Is it so wrong for me to want you to that I care about you?"

"I. . . I guess not."

Yukina smiled in relief, and Hiei smiled back at her awkwardly. A warm feeling came over him as he realized just how nice it was to have his family -all of them.

"So, now that I've spilled the beans!" Yukina sounded exasperated with herself, but exited all the same, "Tell me about Mukuro, and the baby you're expecting!"


	23. Chapter 22

A/N So, I wanted this. . . or better, this was supposed to be longer, but I kinda got myself trapped into a corner, so I scraped the last half of it so I could start the rest of it anew. So, hopefully this chapter isn't as bad as I think it is.

I feel a little wierd doing this, but I might as well just put it out there: If you wonderfull readers that have stuck with me could PLEASE give me some feedback, I would aprieshiate it. I started posting on this site to get advice, but I've been left a little wanting. Kura'Baee, RingLupine, and .: I want to say thank you for pointing some things out for me, both publicly and privatly. It really does mean a lot. Yet, I AM quite a parinoid individual, and I take no news as bad news. If the story is starting to lose it's interest, let me know, tell me what I can do better, and where I'm failing. Yep, so there it is, I'm flat out asking for reviews. No feedback means I'm kinda waisting my time, and I'm a very busy person.

With that, happy reading, and I swear this slow build up shouldn't last much longer! Thanks, -L.

...

_Kurama's Rage_

"You want me to do _WHAT_?" Yusuke cried, pounding his fist on the table and spilling everyone's tea.

"I want you to find all of the Tori in Japan, and close them from this side." Nekyo said again.

"You know, I wouldn't mind helping you. I bet there are a lot of them." Yukina chipped in, sopping up the mess with a towel.

"You'll stay put." Hiei ordered her sternly.

"And I've already got a team lined up for you," Nekyo waved her hand dismissively, "Mazoku, you're the only one that I can trust to make sure this operation gets completed."

"WOULD YOU STOP CALLING ME THAT?"

"At least that's not as offensive as 'Lap-Dog'." Hiei muttered, eyeing the Hunter as if at any moment he would slice her open.

"Listen, _Nik-_"

"-I did not tell you you could call me that-"

"-I don't know what kind of free time you think I have on my hands, but I know I don't have time to baby-sit your henchmen!"

"Well, I guess that changes everything!" She flailed her arms in a dramatic way, "I guess we'll just have to tell all of the innocent humans of the world that the Great Urimeshi was just too busy to save their lives!"

"I don't appreciate the sarcasm."

"Listen to me, Dimwit!" Genkai roared, "If you haven't noticed, you were the one who got us all into this mess in the first place! If it wasn't for your stupid idea, all of the Tori would still be protected by the Kikai Barriers Spirit World set up! The least you could do is close them back up!"

"Stay out of this, Grandma!" He roared back.

The old woman turned to the cat, a snarl on her face, "Is it too late to have him deported?"

"Sorry, he works for me now."

"Sais who?"

"Sais the laws Enki put in place." She remarked calmly, "As ambassador, I'm in charge of all the demons living in Living World. If you don't like it, go home or kill yourself. Though, if you go home, I'll just hunt you down and make you come back. So, you really only have one option."

"You know, I could just kill you!" Yusuke seethed.

"The Fox would kill you first." She happily stated, a wide grin spreading across her face.

Both the detective and the Emiko snorted skeptically at that. The group fell into an angry silence. Suddenly, Nekyo began sniffing the air with a disgusted look on her face.

"I know that stink!" She shouted and bolted out the door.

"What the hell was that about?" Hiei wondered to the group, craning his neck to watch her go.

"It seems Koenma and Botan are hear. They told me they might be a little early." Genkai said in her reserved way, quietly sipping at what was left of her tea.

The three others exchanged serious looks before rushing after the cat. They caught up with her at the sitting room were the prisoners were being held.

"Mazoku, Lap-Dog!" She called when she spotted them, "Help me with this guy, would ya!"

"You carried him here, you deal with him!" Yusuke shouted back. His neck prickled again, and he suddenly found himself falling into the bound slave-trader. "STOP DOING THAT!"

"I WILL IF YOU STOP ARGUING WITH ME!"

Hiei was over in a flash to help Yusuke to his feet. He sized up the bound and gagged man with an evil glint to his eye.

"You're being too nice to him." He said with smirk to Nekyo.

"Yeah, well, he's my leverage to keep The Fox here. . ."

Working together, they got the struggling man to the main hall without many problems. The members of the detective group were pleased to see Koenma and Botan were graciously making there selves at home.

"Hey, Botan! Long time no see!" Yusuke called as he walked over to slap her on the back.

"Yes, a month _does_ feel like a long time." She chuckled as she straitened herself up after the strong, but good natured blow Yusuke had landed.

"Hey Hiei." Koenma said warmly to the fire-demon, "You hear to escort Shizuru to Demon World? Or did you just show up for the reunion?"

Hiei glared at the prince, "I'm actually on baby-sitter duty." He motioned to the cat who was struggling with her captive in the doorway. "Chu and Touya should be hear soon."

"What is _she_ doing hear?" Koenma recognized her at once, and from the look of the scowl he was wearing, he didn't much care for her either.

"HEY!" She excitedly exclaimed when she noticed him staring at her, dropping Fujioka to the floor with a thud, "You're not a baby anymore!"

"I'm the same age as you are, Nekyo!" He spat at her.

"Then act like it. And I'm here representing Demon World."

"Then I guess it's a good thing Kurama's coming with me." He rolled his eyes, and then noticed the gagged man. "Who's that?"

"This is the guy Living World will be sending to you. Kurama can't go with you, he lost the game*." She stated matter-of-factly.

"I'm not even going to pretend to know what you're talking about."

"Apparently," Yusuke started, feeling the tension between the two rise and feeling a need to intervene, "Her and Kurama play games to end disputes. Kurama lost a game this morning, though he's still going to Spirit World with you."

"NO he's NOT!"

"YES I AM!" The entire group turned to see the Fox leaning in the doorway to the courtyard. He had his backpack slung over one shoulder -it looked like it would burst with all of the things he had packed into it, and he was wearing that green traveling cloak again.

"AWA!" Nekyo exclaimed when she saw him, "You still have that cloak I gave you! How sweet." There was a sarcastic hint to her words.

"You gave him that even though you're enemies? How nice of you!" Yukina smiled with misunderstanding -It was so darling to see how naive she really was sometimes.

"I stole it." Kurama said flatly, "and I AM going. I'm a citizen of Living World now, that game has no authority over me anymore." He set down his bag and started forward to greet his friends.

"Tell me something, Koenma," The cat interjected loudly, "In your records on Kurama, does it still say he's the Spirit Fox?"

Koenma thought for a moment and the whole room paused, "Yes. . ." he said slowly.

"And isn't the Spirit Fox a demon?" She smiled lightly, as if she were guiding a small child to a correct answer.

"He is, but-"

"NO 'BUTS' THEN!" In a flash she pulled out a scroll and flung it at the prince. He caught the scroll with a confused look and opened it to read it.

Kurama instantly recognized the scroll, and blanched as Koenma examined the words. He shuffled around in his pockets looking for the scroll he had stashed away there. With a bit of relief he pulled it out, examining it carefully to make sure it was the same one that he brought home from the den. All eyes were on the three as the tension rose between them. The look on the deity's face was worrying Kurama, and he unrolled his own scroll just to be sure.

Neatly scrawled in Nekyo's handwriting were words that Kurama had not expected:

_If you thought that I'd let you keep it, you're a fool. I know you would just destroy it, and I won't let you do that._

_-Nik_

He looked up from the note to lock eyes with Koenma, who had turned a sickly pale. The small and ancient scroll shook in his hands as he handed it back to the Cat.

"Is this true?" He asked, the pacifier in his mouth shaking with the nerves he refused to show.

"What's going on, Kurama?" Yusuke asked, worried at the way Kurama was swaying. It looked like he was going to faint.

"Kurama, is this true?" Koenma asked again, sterner this time.

"Is what true?" Hiei asked, trying to eye the scroll in question.

"Every word of it." Kurama answered finally in a low voice.

"So you can see how The Fox won't be able to represent Living World." Nekyo said, he voice dripping with malice and pride. She plucked the parchment out of the princes hand and quickly rolled it back up.

Koenma looked away from Kurama as if the sight of those green eyes was hurting him. The pleading in them was too much for him to bare. He looked around the room at his companions, each holding the same look of confused curiosity.

"The scroll binds Kurama to the conditions of the games." He finally said, his voice was heavy, and something told the others that he wasn't telling them all of the truth. "I'm sorry Kurama. I can't take you knowing this."

"Good." Nekyo smiled, a malevolent cockiness playing on her lips. "You can take this guy. I _was_ going to take him back to Demon world to have him killed, but to show good faith and cooperation, serving Humanity from Spirit World should be just as fitting a punishment."

"That should be fine," Koenma sighed, "Do you mind if I take him for an interrogation?"

"Be my guest." She began walking to the man, "I have his children, also, if you'd like to question them."

"That would be great." He sighed again, and helped Nekyo hoist the man up. Together they left in the direction of the prisoners room.

The stunned silence remained in their wake. As Kurama watched the two go, everybody else watched him.

"Do you mind telling us what that was all about?" Genkai's dry voice echoed off the polished wood walls.

Kurama stayed still, his body ridged and his eyes staring unseeingly at the doorway.

"Fox?" Hiei asked, moving to stand beside the statuesque red-head.

"Ha! Ha!" Botan faked a laugh, flitting nervously over to the demons, "Kurama! Your hair looks lovely like that! The silver looks really good with the red, did you have it done professionally?"

Yusuke grabbed her wrist before her hand reached the multi-shaded locks and pulled her away.

"Not the time, Botan." he whispered to her, eyeing Kurama nervously.

"Botan, Genkai," Yukina said after a few more moments, "Would you like some tea?" The two women nodded and they all scurried out of the room.

Without the watchful gaze of the girls, the air in the hall grew thick with confrontation. The three demons stood lost in there own thoughts about the situation -two lost in a thick fog of angry confusion, one boiling in rage and fear. Yusuke and Hiei wanted to do something, be it shout until they were blue or beat Kurama to a pulp neither of them knew. Yet it seemed that they couldn't while the Fox was refusing to move. This feeling wasn't out of pity or concern for their friend, but out of fear of him.

As Kurama stood, the room was slowly filling with his energy -his demon energy. The amount of it, and the shear power of it was putting his friends on edge. They watched him, preparing themselves for the reaction to what the Hunter had done, but none came. He just stood there, silently raging over the destruction of his carefully laid plans. The two dark haired boys only looked away from him once they started noticing the small plants sprouting out of every crack in the wood-paneled room.

"You can't get your way, so you're going to destroy Genkai's house?" Yusuke's words were harsh - he had had enough of this nonsense.

"I. . . I don't think he's doing it on purpose." Hiei stammered, the fear in his eyes becoming more prominent.

"You are right Hiei." Kurama said coldly, his voice had gone down an octave, if they didn't know better, they would have thought he had changed into his demon form, "I can't control it. And if I try to conceal it for much longer, I'm likely to go mad."

"You would endanger us -your friends- over her? _HER?_" Hiei shouted, "I'm not looking to get into a fight that I know I wont win, Kurama, but if you don't calm down I _will_ do whatever it takes to take you down. Do not forget that this house holds people who care about you."

A beam above their heads split dangerously as a branch began growing out of it and the floor creaked as small, razor sharp plants sprung to life below their feet.

"Kill me then, Hiei. Deny her that pleasure." That stunned them. Yusuke and Hiei exchanged bewildered glances before moving to approach the fox.

"Kurama," Yusuke started delicately, laying a hand on his shoulder, "What's in that scroll? What could possibly be so bad that you say something like that?"

Kurama turned to them slowly, as if he were in a dream. His eyes searched over the other two men in turn, scrutinizing them; daring them to make a move. Without warning and with a speed that surprised the friends that thought they knew him so well, he ran out the double doors of the main hall and disappeared into the forest.


	24. Fail, yet important

**this is a fail, please don't hold id against me. It's not really a chapter, but a couple of the things in this are needed in order to explain things that will happen in the next chapter. Sorry, -L.**

"How the 'ell did you blokes get lucky enough to witness _this _train wreck?" Chu chuckled from the doorway as he watched Yusuke, Hiei and Touya attempt to demolish the deadly plants Kurama had left in his wake.

"Yeah, it's a real lottery!" Yusuke smirked as he blasted a few more remanats of razor sharp barbs off of the floor.

"Enki must be out of his mind if he thinks that forcing those two together is a good way to end a war." Touya sighed as he snap-froze another sapling shooting out of a wall, "They're more likely to start one."

The group smiled slightly at that, acknowledging the truth behind the statement, but let a calm quiet settle on them as they continued the 'cleaning'.

Suddenly, the door to the inner workings of the compound slammed open, "Where the HELL is that bastered?"

They all turned to see a rather wild looking red-headed human fuming in the doorway, closely followed by a sollom and smoking brunett carring several suitcasses.

"'Bout time you showed up!" Chu called to the Kuwabara's, waving to catch their attention.

Kuwabara relaxed a little as he scanned the room, his body settiling form the riggid posture he wore upon entering to one of sloped confusion. "What happned here?"

"Kurama doesn't like your new ambasitor." Hiei put simply, not even dignifying the still raging boy a glace.

"Kurama did all of this?" Shizuru asked, tip-toeing thrugh the deprise towards the demons. "Where is our favorit red-head, anyway? Don't tell me he's already been whisked off to Spirit World."

"This ain't the kind of crime you get carted off for, Sheila." Chu chuckled as he made to grab for one of her bags. He motioned to the open door behind him, "He's out running around somewhere."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Kuwabara cried as he smacked his fist into his palm, "I've got a going away present for him."

"What _are_ you going on about?" Hiei asked, cocking an eyebrow at the tall fool.

"If you don't know, then it's none of your bussness!" He spat back at Hiei as he less then carefuly made his way to the outside door, "This is a matter between men, so stay out of this, Shorty!"

The others watched as the tall boy vanished out the door and into the sunlight in a huff.

"Oh, shit!" Yusuke suddenly exclaimed, "I think I know what this is about!" He rushed out the door after his friend, closely fallowed by Hiei.

They easly caught up with Kuwabara, who was mingling near the edge of the forest, clearly debating on which way to go.

"Don't try to stop me, Urimeshi, this is something I have to do!" He warned as the two aproched him.

"Kuwabara, I know you're mad, and I think I have a good idea why. But now is really not the time." Yusuke reached out to him; he was really starting to wonder when he became the rational member of the group.

"You're . . . planning on fighting Kurama?" Hiei chuckled, looking the steaming Kuwabara up and down sckepticly, "If you really wish for your death, then by all means, don't let us stop you."

With that, the three young men entered the woods in search for their friend.

…...

_Yup. . . This is were I'm stuck. This was going to end up being long and pointless if I kept it going, so here is the transition from what HAD happened to what is GOING to happen, and how the Kuwabaras are suddenly there. Seriously, you don't want to read the crap that took up the four pages after this. It was terrible. Nothing but pointless Yusuke/Kuwabara bickering. With some Hiei insults in there, too. I'm not even going to bother editing it, I just want to work on the next chapter. . . -L._


	25. Chapter 24

A/N HAHA! 'bout fucking TIME! Really, I'm sorry about the last chapter, but I was having a ass-load of trouble with some Hiei and Kuwabara stuff (sepraretly yet in the same chapter.) I'm hopeing to get back to posting every week after this, so if anyone's missed me, don't worry, I'm still here.

AND, I hope this fight scene doesn't suck too much. I wanted it to be prettyer then it was agressive, and I don't know if I've managed to pull that off or not, so here's to trying! Happy reading, R&R please! -L.

...

_The Last Duel_

The early evening air of late spring floated through the compound in that special, peaceful way that didn't happen often enough. The air that usually surrounded Genkai's home was thick with malice and mischief, and tingled with energy of the countless demons that hid in the slops of the mountains. Yet, no demon dared to stir under the pale pink and purple horizon. No venomous power would be leaked into the wind. The serenity of the night would go undisturbed.

Not because of the beauty of the scene, but because they were afraid.

Just as the creeping demons of the forest sought refuge from the anxiety that seemed to plague their hearts, the small group of psychics, demons, and spirits -locked happily away in the confines of the compound - felt the anticipation of the night as they waited the return of the detective group. It had been hours since the three boys had taken off into the woods to look for the raging fox, and even though a small and brief search party had been formed, the lot gave up the hunt and resigned to playing cards instead.

Koenma had already sent Fujioka to Spirit World in the care of some ferry girl, and Touya had reluctantly left with the children with strict orders from Nekyo to deliver them to Enki, not their mother. Chu still remained - waiting on Shizuru, who refused to leave until she could properly say goodbye to her brother. None of them wanted to mention the elephant in the room, the reason why theses supposedly peaceful diplomatic proceedings had suddenly been thrown into chaos - Nekyo. She alone remained undeterred by the events that had unfolded throughout the day, and kept up an animated chit-chat with the others about trivial things, completely unaware of the worry haunting the eyes of those who watched her. Yet, for as worried as they all were over the current situation, none could say that they weren't enjoying themselves.

Soon enough, however, the mirth and laughter that seemed to pleasantly settle on the group came to an abrupt end as the heavy feeling of four separate powers crept closer to building. Finally, after most of the day, it seemed that the boys were returning.

"Took them long enough." Nekyo muttered into the agitated silence as she continued to shuffle the cards for another round. She sternly closed her eyes, causing the heavy black liner around her eyes to nearly vanish in under the pressure.

"Good," Koenma sighed. The chaotic situation had taken the greatest toll on the young diplomat, and worry had been growing in his features like a weed all evening. "I just want to get this over with, at this point."

"I don't even know why you're still here," Nekyo replied snarkily, "I thought you'd be off to tattle to Daddy by now."

"I don't know what kind of person I am, but I DO care about the well being of my friends." He spat back at her, his teeth grinding on that pacifier in a way that even irritated him.

"Would you both just shut-"

Genkai's request was cut short by the loud banging of the sliding door behind them being thrown open, the cool night air whisping about them in an ominous way. Simultaneously, the group turned to see the silhouetted form of Kurama standing at the threshold - murder in his deep green eyes. He was now sporting another black eye.

"Good, you're back." Nekyo said cheerfully as she jumped up to greet him. The others stayed still, too afraid of causing a break in the odd balance of peace the two legendary fighters seemed to have.

"I want a duel." He said it simply, yet his raspy voice betrayed his true rage.

"And I don't want to fight again." She crossed her arms in protest and pouted like a child. When Kuramas demeanor refused to budge, she let out a sigh of defeat and pushed past him out the door. "Just don't get mad if I kill your weak human body!"

Solemnly he followed her down to the field that separated the building from the trees were the other three waited them. In silent agreement, the others left the now forgotten game and timidly lingered on the porch to see how this fight would play out.

"You mind telling us what's going on, or are we going to have to figure it out for ourselves?" Genkai asked in a harsh and irritated voice as her prodigy approached the porch to take his place with the other spectators.

"Your guess is still as good as mine, he hasn't said a word since we found him."

"That's not true," Kuwabara corrected, "He said he deserved that punch I gave him."

"You punched him?" Botan exclaimed, staring wide-eyed at the tall boy, "Why is everybody going crazy? What on earth would posses you to do such a thing to your friend?"

"Apparently the oaf has a problem with Kurama trying to have his way with that 'Sea-Man' Human." Hiei answered. The bluntness in his voice showing no distress over the incident.

All of the eyes of the group focused on the Fox, protests of disbelief and hurt anger flowing from the crowd in a mumble of gibberish. The only recognition either of the combatants showed at the conversation was a knowing smirk forming on the Cats lips and the vague blush on Kuramas cheeks.

"This isn't the time to talk about this." Yusuke said sternly, turning his back to the group to watch the hunter and the Thief begin circling one another.

"You're righ', Mate," Chu submitted, leaning on the railing next to Yusuke, "Watch'n those two, it's a once in a life time opportunity. Best not to spend it bickering."

Out on the field, the two fighters slowly rounded on each other from a distance. The air sparked with energy that flashed in both black and green eyes. No weapons had been drawn, yet the urge to strike was evident in the way they held themselves. After a long -and almost painful - stair-down, Kuramas hand slowly began to lift to his hair.

"Tell me Fox, are you ready for death?" The words stopped Kurama in his tracks, and he slowly let his hand fall back to his side. A surprise and worry plagued his features as he searched over the Cat.

She stood strait and lithe as she waited for his response. A small smile played at her lips as she watched the wheels in his head turn around her question.

"I can say that I am only as ready as you are, Cat." He responded. He closed his eyes as he said it, and let out a sigh of defeat.

To the spectators, it almost seemed as if he were chuckling to himself. He casually kicked off his shoes, clearly relishing in the feeling of the soft grass between his toes, and began minute stretches as he watched the Cat remove the top bindings of her boots.

"Then I would suppose you're not ready at all." She mocked as she removed the bracers from her ankles, revealing that her boots were not boots, but shoes covered in a top layer of protective leather, "I do not plan to die tonight."

"You speak as if Fate plays no part in this battle." Kurama said the words as if they were long rehearsed, and a stillness settled over the audience as they listened to the script unfold. Kuramas hand went to his hair again, but instead of reaching for his weapon, he simply unfurled his tied-back hair into the wind.

"There is no Fate. There is only Choice." Nekyo continued the little play, watching Kurama intently.

She slowly begin unfasten the ties that held her gi, letting it fall to the ground around her shoulders to reveal a tight black leather cuirass with gold spots -much like a reveres- leopard skin. She straitened up and flexed her shoulders, showing off the well toned - yet slightly wiry- frame of her body. It almost seemed that she was enticing every eye of the group to catch on the long silver chain that hung from her neck and disappeared down between her breasts. She reached into one of the bags supported on the lose belt around her waist and pulled out a small white dried-up flower.

Kurama stared at the flower for several seconds, an air of dangerous excitement floating around him. In a flash, he removed the green cloak and sent it flying behind him on the wind. None of the audience members could suppress their surprise as they looked on Kuramas battle-ready form. His puffed black pants hung tight and low on his hips underneath a mesh of white fabric that they could only assume was a protective cuirass of some sort. The top was wrapped tightly around his chest and midsection, bound by small silver buckles. It seemed to be made more of strips of material then it was a whole piece of clothing. The outfit, along with his red and silver tresses flowing through the wind, made him look more demonic then he ever looked as his Youko self. Somehow, from the slight-of-hand that he as known so well for, he was holding the bone-hilted dagger - his won prize from the Hunter.

"I just don't get that guy's fashion sense." Yusuke whispered taking in the sight of his friend.

"That's a special gi top worn for training with whips and ropes, you fool." Hiei remarked from beside him.

"And if Choice should have it that I win?" Kurama said, eyeing the Cat intently and determined to continue the dialogue. Before she could answer, he gouged the dagger into his palm, letting the blood pool their before tossing the knife to her.

She caught the knife with ease, fitting it between her ring and pinky finger. She promptly tossed the small flower to him, which fluttered into his injured hand as if it had been beckoned to that spot.

"Then know that I would swiftly follow." She said simply.

With that, they entered their fighting stances. Nekyo produced the rest of the small daggers and took on a pose ready to pounce. Kurama on the other hand stood stock still. The small flower in his hand, however, began to take on a transformation that surprised them all. It seemed to suck up the blood in his palm -vines growing from it at an alarming rate, weaving around his hand and wrist to make a glove. The bloom, once white and dead, changed at first to a vibrant red, and then to a deep purple. The spiky petals stiffened into small daggers of there own as the main steam grew into a thin metallic looking chain covered in small but razor sharp barbs. Carefully, he let the plant overtake his other hand, forming into a glove as well.

"Well fuck me!" Chu exclaimed as he watched the transformation.

"_I_ didn't even know that was possible!" Koenma said, a slight protest in his words.

"What? What is it?" Kuwabara asked, looking from one to the other.

"That's a Boketsu root." Koenma said in aw, "It's very rare and only grows in Demon World. And it only grows on graves."

"It's also highly lethal," Hiei continued for the deity, "It attacks anyone who touches it. How the hell Kurama was able to domesticate it is anyone's guess."

"I imagine that it's the blood." Genkai offered flatly.

The combatants wasted no time, however, and the conversation being help in the audience went unnoticed. Without any warning, the fight began. The movements were so fast that Kuwabara was lucky just to catch glimpses of it while Yukina and Shizuru saw nothing but blurs.

As soon as the flower had completed it's transformation into a weapon, Nekyo pounced. She plunged strait at him, claws ready for flesh, but Kurama quickly adverted her. He swung at her with the whip as she passed, the mitalic looking vine clinking as if it were truly made out of chains. She dogged the attack as if she had been expecting it, turning mid-flight and letting the whip hit the ground with a loud crack.

The Cat let fly a borage of tiny sharp daggers as soon as she hit the ground only to immediately replace her empty fingers with a second set. Kurama deflected them easily, sending the small weapons back at the Hunter with a mere flick of his wrist. She dogged the failed the attack with a speed that boarded on teleportation - in fact, most of the audience was sure that she was in fact teleporting.

The Hunter advanced on the stationary Fox in a fast but jerky way. He let her get close - closer then any of his companions had ever seen him let get. As soon as she was in striking range delivered a strong and accurate punch to his chest. The crowd gasped as Kurama was hurled backwards, the red streams of blood coming from the punctures caused by the knives seemed to still in the air as his body fell. Nobody was aware of the looped chain wrapped around the Cat's ankle -not even the Cat herself. Unexpectantly, she went flying after him.

As they crashed to the ground, even Yusuke and Hiei couldn't keep up with the speed that they were striking each other. Nekyo, with the knifes clenched in her fists, attempted to pelt Kurama with blows. Kurama on the other hand, was swinging the whip -at close range - with such precision that the looping and weaving vine was hitting away her punches two at a time.

"I've never seen him weald a whip like that." Hiei gasped as he studied his friends moves the best he could.

"It's like he's fencing with a ranged weapon." Kuwabara put in, his eyes fixed and his brow damp with concentration as he tried to keep up with the fighters.

The dual continued without either of the combatants noticing the exchange. They were locked in their own world; echoed on both fierce face and burning in every cell was nothing but adamant desire to destroy the other. They moved as if in a dance; every blow parried with a delicate, yet fierce, flow of graceful movements and steps that made the fight look choreographed. It was beautiful to watch. The mutual disdain, coupled along with the elegance both fighters possessed made the scene seem electrified with the overbearing power they both possessed.

Another flick of Kuramas delicate and graceful wrist sent the Hunter flying. She jumped back in an attempt at defense, yet the Fox had still managed to hit her across the cheek. She paused, an utterly bewildered look on her face as she reached up to feel the blood leaking from the gash. Kurama in turn stayed still, waiting for the Cats retribution.

In a rage the Hunter teleported right behind Kurama, who's swift and graceful steps seemed to be no match for her now that she marred. The spun around each, slashing and attacking at each presented opportunity. The 'dance' they had seemed to be creating suddenly turned chaotic and dangerous as they both geared up for their final blows.

And then suddenly it all stopped.

The audience sat silent as they watched the two stilled figures before them, breath caught in every chest waiting for a solid outcome to the duel.

Kurama and Nekyo stood dead center in the field acing each other. Six points to six daggers priced into the exposed flesh of Kuramas neck - where the other two were was anyone's guess. Small lines of red made there way down his thought to his heaving chest, further blooding the bright white of his top. All she had to do was sink her claws in another inch or so for the Fox to be dead.

In his hands he still held defiantly onto both ends of the whip, which at some point he had managed to get around Nekyo's neck, crossing the vines in front of her Tricia. The same small trickles of blood ran down her own neck as his grip strained against her flesh. All he had to do was pull on that vine to completely decapitate the Cat.

They stood that way for a moment that seemed like an eternity, staring into each others eyes, both not wanting to admit defeat.

"It's. . . It's a draw." Hiei's stumbling words permeated the silence.

"No, one of them HAD to ha'v struck that last blow first!" Chu whispered in amazement.

"Trust me," The Jigon flashed beneath Hiei's ward without taking his eyes off the combatants, "They struck at the exact same time."

"He said that they were as equal as you could get. . . But _Damn!_" Yusuke whispered, more impressed with the both of them then worried about his friend.

"Dear God!" Koenma suddenly exclaimed, a decent amount of fear and admiration in his voice, "I knew she could teleport, but I had no idea that she was Shadow Bound!"

"Well, they do call her the 'Shadow Hunter'." Yusuke said daftly cocking an eyebrow at the young god.

"No." He started, low and fast as if he were in a panic, "I don't know everything about the ritual, but Niko will blind there children to make them stronger. Look at her eyes, they're different! I _know_ that's a sign of a Shadow Bound Niko!"

The group looked out onto the field more closely. Kurama and Nekyo stood just as they had when the fight had come to the abrupt stalemate. Except the silky black energy Nekyo had been producing seemed to be slipping away, and the wispy silver of Kuramas was gently settling in the vegetation around them like sparkling dew. The electrified energy that was illuminating them was slowly drifting away to be replaced by the harsh glow of the moon.

In that moonlight the spectators could make out clearly what Koenma was talking about: Even though their bodies were stuck in a stalemate, a fierce battle was still being waged in an intimidating stair-down between pricing and cold green, and deep and startling _blue_ eyes.

"No," Yusuke whispered, "I swear she had black eyes!"

On the field, nether foe could bring themselves to break the gaze. Deep in the back of the Fox's mind, he could feel more then just those blue eyes staring him down. He had to break the stair before something. . . Embarrassing happened. There was only one way this was bound to end. It _always _ended like that. Taking a chance that he had rarely taken in the past he let his eyes dart to the silver chain the Cat was wearing around her neck. A familiarity emanated from the blood-covered silver, and he found himself staring at the thing for just a second too long.

"I know you know what it is that I ware around my neck, Priest." Nekyo said instead of finishing her attack. The words stung at him more painfully then any dagger could.

His eyes flickered back to hers, a cold wonderment stinging at the green irises and threatening to fall out in the form of tears. Without thinking he relinquished his hold on the vine around her neck to reach for the chain.

That gesture was all she needed, and in a flash she turned and ran into the forest, casting one quick and smug glance back to the shocked Fox before disappearing into the darkness. Kurama didn't waist a beat, and soon found himself bounding after her - a crazed rage lodged deep within his heart.

"Were the hell do they think _they're_ going?" Yusuke exclaimed, ready to charge after them, but a stern hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"I'd leave them be, mate." Chu said gently as he scanned the line of trees of any hint of a fight.

"If they're purposely moving the fight away from us, I would assume that means they're getting tiered of us spectators." Genkai pointed out and swiftly turned to go inside.

One by one the group reluctantly headed back inside. Yusuke was the last to leave the field, undeniable curiosity and concern still causing his heart to ach.

…...

Kurama sprinted along the path the Hunter had carved out for them, leaving the trail helplessly over grown in his wake. Trees and exotic plants shot up behind and before him as he struggled to catch up to Nekyo's elusive form. He focused his energy around her, slowing her movements with the sudden growth of many random trees. With the sudden onslaught of the timber confining her, the Cat slowed -lost in the newly formed maze.

Kurama grabbed her tail with ease as she slowed almost to the point of stopping, harshly whipping her around to face him and pinning her to the closest tree with his body. He seethed in his rage as his body started acting on instinct, his hatred, his eagerness and his longing all manifesting itself as an unpleasant bunching in the pit of his stomach. What little moonlight that was left flitting down into the forest reflected in eyes that were once black -now turned blue- and he snarled in malice at his caught prey.

"Well, isn't _this _familiar." She teased, a mocking glow hinting at her eyes as she searched deeply into his.

Kuramas breath hitched in his thought as he stared down into those blue eyes. He hated them. He wanted poke out those eyes, to dig his thumbs in so far that they popped. But he didn't. He couldn't. The ramifications of doing such a thing were more then the Fox could bare to think about. If he destroyed those eyes, he knew he would miss them.

"You're playing a very dangerous game, are you sure you have the stones for it?" Those blue eyes narrowed in anger while her voice made a sweet melody out of the taunt.

"You are in a _very_ bad position, Your Highness," He pressed his body closer to hers', causing her to flinch at the feel of the tree he had her pinned against, "I might even go easy on you, if you were so inclined to keep your mouth shut!"


	26. Chapter 25

A/N I hope you guys like this one, I think it's been the most fun to write so far! I told that stubborn Hiei part that I was just going to cut it from the story if it didn't behave, and to my surprise, it started cooperating!

Happy reading, everybody! R&R please! -L.

...

_Birds, Bees and Fire Demons_

Yusuke made his way sleepily back up the overgrown stone stairs to the temple under the soft fluttering morning sun with a strange air of tranquility that he couldn't quite explain. He had slept better last night then he had in weeks, and he wasn't sure if it was because the open aired compounded, with absents of artificial light and noises from the city, was a more relaxing place to be or whether it was because this ambassador business was finally over.

Chu and Shizuru had left last night not long after Kurama and Nekyo had disappeared into the woods, and Koenma had left early this morning before anyone else was even awake to say 'goodbye'. The last remnant of the group to leave was Kuwabara. After arguing loudly over breakfast that he wanted to stay - mostly so he could yell at Kurama again - he decided that he really _couldn't_ miss any more classes this close to the end of his high-school carrier, and let Yusuke walk him to the train station.

He had only made it halfway up the steep sloping staircase when the familiar prickling feeling of being watched by a certain thee-eyed demon washed suddenly over him. Before he could even say 'Hey, Hiei', the fire demon was standing before him, his most serious look plastered on his face.

"You need to come with me." Hiei said simply, and started walking off into the underbrush that lined the stone stairs.

Without much thought of questioning the order, Yusuke followed him. They headed back up the hill, away from the main path, at a leisurely pace, both content with walking though the growth in a contemplative silence before Hiei eventually broke the comfortable quiet.

"I need you to do me a favor. You know that I don't find it easy to ask someone as incapable as you for help, but I find I have no other way out."

"Way to butter me up, Hiei."

Hiei grimaced at the sarcasm, but decided that there was no real protest to the words so he continued.

"While playing errand boy for The Hunter, Enki decided to take it upon himself to changed my orders. Instead of leaving me positioned in Demon World protecting the boarder, he feels that I am better suited to remain here and baby-sit the arrogant bitch. He offered me an alternative in the form of you."

"Um. . . What?" Yusuke was sure he didn't like were this was going. And Hiei's all-to-professional demeanor wasn't helping the sudden butterflies in his stomach, either.

"My new orders are to stay here and keep Nekyo from doing anything too brash. Unfortunately, the 'staying here' part isn't going to work out so well with my 'getting the hell home' plans. Enki guaranteed me that if you - and you alone - excepted this position in my stead, then I would be more then able to return to my former post."

Yusuke stopped dead in his tracks and Hiei didn't miss a beat on pausing beside him. "I don't know, man. I know you're asking nicely - you know, for _you_ - but I just got a lot of stuff dumped in my lap already this weekend . . ."

And then there it was, something Yusuke had never seen before. The slightly downcast gaze and the slumping of his shoulders with the smallest of exhaled breaths, but mostly the excepting look of disappointment in the small lines around Hiei's mouth spoke volumes to the former detective. For the fist time Hiei was showing just how much he needed other people, and Yusuke practically through it back in his face.

"Well, what's so great about Demon World, anyway?" He tried to back-paddle, urging the short demon to walk along again with him, "The gangs all here, and I'm pretty sure Kurama's missed you. Hell, even Kuwabara's missed you."

"That may be true, but I've never felt the same fondness of this place that you and Kurama have. All of my hopes of happiness lie in _our_ world."

"HAHA! What's this!" The brash young man chided at his friend, "_Hiei_ talking about _happiness_?"

"You say that like it's a strange concept."

"Well, for as long as I've known you you've seemed to be pretty content to be angry, not happy. Actually, I think I've only seen you happy a couple of times, and it was while you were killing someone."

A small smirk escaped onto Hieis lips and Yusuke sighed inwardly in relief. If he could still smile then he couldn't be all that disappointed.

"And do you really want to be away from all this action?" Yusuke continued, hoping to hit a soft spot, "Stopping a war and keeping that crazy cat in line seems right up your ally!"

Hiei sighed a reluctant sigh, "If you were to offer me that kind of fun two weeks ago, it might have seemed very tempting."

"Oh, yeah, what's changed?" Yusuke asked bluntly, and with only a hint of mockery in his voice.

It was Hiei's turn to stop dead. Yusuke turned expecting a harsh glare or a quipy come-back, yet instead found the Imiko staring at his own shuffling feet.

"Really, what's changed?" He asked again, dread and panic flowing through his veins for what seemed like the hundredth time that week.

With his quick and cunning mind Hiei spit a deal at Yusuke so fast that he didn't even think about his answer, "Take the job and I'll tell you."

"Fine, I'll do it. Just tell me. I can't take anymore secrets!"

Hiei, obviously taken aback by the swiftness of the response, stood dumbstruck for a moment before lapsing into thought.

"If I tell you this, you have to keep your word that you will tell no one -including The Fox, The Fool, and the Hag."

"Okay, my lips are sealed."

"And I'm only going to tell you this so you know the severity of the situation that you are protecting."

"Protecting. . . What?" Hiei was talking so fast his head was spinning a little.

"Mukuro. . ." He started then stopped, as if suddenly rethinking the deal.

"Yeah, we all know. She's your girl-friend or something. But she's also a politician. If anyone were to understand why you have to stay it would be her."

"No, you fool. She is not my 'girl-friend'!" He blushed furiously as he got up the courage to spit out the words he swore not to ever utter to another soul. "She is not _just_ my 'girl-friend' any more."

"Well? Then what is she? Your wife or something?" Yusuke felt like he was mocking him against his own will, but with all of this bizarre secret-keeping going on he was starting to lose his patience.

Hiei let out a long sigh and spit out the words like he was plunging headlong into a cold ocean, "Last week Mukuro became pregnant."

All Yusuke could do was stare shamelessly at his friend, a mixture of mirth and disbelief bubbling up in him until if formed a rather lewd grin on his face.

Hiei looked away, silently damning himself for exposing himself to such embarrassment. "If you keep smiling at me like that I'll cut off your lips."

"God. I'm sorry, man." Yusuke earnestly tried to wipe his face clean of the smile that just wouldn't go away, "But, DAMN! You're gonna be a _daddy_? That's HISTARICAL!"

"Forgive me if I fail to see the humor in this."

"No, really. I'm sorry." Yusuke chuckled as he wiped the traces of tears out of his eyes, "It's just that that was _not_ what I expected you to say."

"Well, what did you expect me too say?"

"Anything but that! You're not the kind of guy most people would assume that about. Hell, to be honest it's a little surprising that you'd be the kind of guy to. . . You know. . . Do _that_ at all." He blushed a little as thought of the gruff fire demon and the tyrannical cyborg engaging in the throws of passion flashed comically in his mind.

"Believe me, it was a moment of weakness and nothing more." Hiei admitted as he began walking again -swifter this time, presumably fleeing from the embarrassing conversation.

"Oh, come on, Hiei. I think it's cute!" Yusuke laughed, catching up to his friend.

"It is not 'cute'! It's a disaster! One slip -one moment of passion - and our lives as we knew it came to an abrupt end!"

"Someone should have told you about condoms. . ."

"Your jokes are not appreciated!"

"Hey, I'm just saying that maybe you should have invested in some birth-control if you feel this bad about knocking-up your girl-friend."

"'Birth-control'?" Hiei gave him a sidelong confused glance, the embarrassment of knowing nothing about these sorts of situations very apparent in his features, "I have no idea what you're talking about. Neither of us expected to feel so strongly about each other, so I don't know how controlling a birth, or whatever it is that your talking about, would have been much help."

It was Yusukes turn to cast a confused glance at the demon at his side. Something in what Hiei was saying wasn't adding up, and he was sure it was do to his lack of knowledge about his own kind.

"What do you mean, you didn't now you felt so strongly about each other? You're making it sound like you fucked he on accident."

Hiei sighed and rolled his eyes, "No, I 'fucked' her on purpose. The conception was a surprise. To be honest, I didn't think either of us was capable of it."

"Okay, I think you've lost me." Yusuke admitted, furrowing his brows and tried to remember what Kurama had told him about why he never saw any demon babies while he was there.

"If I didn't already know you were an idiot, I would kill you for being a moron."

"Well, damn, Hiei! I'm still new to this being a demon thing! As a human, every time you have sex you run the risk of having a baby, but you seem to be under the impression that that's not true. So if I'm missing something, I would like to know what it is."

The stern gaze that Hiei had been holding throughout the conversation faltered for the briefest of moments into something soft before his stone mask of indifference returned.

"Fine, if I tell you about the birds and the bees, will stop with all of these intrusive questions and listen to what I have to say about baby-sitting the Cat?"

"Yes." Yusuke said, slightly indigent.

"Fine. During such an intimate situation as coitus, a demons body is not the only thing to react. The stronger the emotional bond, the more intense the experience is. It's called 'Soul Bonding'. If this bond is strong enough for both participating demons, their souls will combine, creating a new soul."

"And that's were baby demons come from?"

"Yes. But is actually very rare for that to happen, and this process doesn't apply to low level demons that spawn from their surroundings. Not to mention the higher one's energy levels are, the harder it is to bond in the first place."

"Then with your's and Mukuro's power levels, her getting pregnant really _was_ unexpected."

"Not to mention that that was the only time we had ever done. . . _that_."

Yusuke suppressed a laugh as he took in all of the information that Hiei had given him, and what it all meant for the small demon, "Man, I don't envy your luck!"

"Yes, well, if you have enough information on the subject of reproduction, I would really appreciate it if we moved this conversation to the subject on how you'll deal with The Hunter."

"Jeeze Hiei, only you would find out that you're going to be a dad, and only want to talk about work."

"If I haven't talked about what we're going to do about this with Mukuro, then why would I talk to _you_ about it? And I think that you would agree that The Hunter is of way more pressing matters, anyway."

"Yeah, alright. So what is it that I'm going to have to do?" Yusuke said reluctantly, slightly hurt that one of his closest friends didn't want to talk to him about something as life changing as having a baby.

"Enki informed me that for as brash as she seems to be, she can be easily swayed by the advice of another. What she needs is a second in command - someone she trusts to be on her side, to advise her. Kurama is automatically out, seeing as she will do anything to contradict him. But she seems to have taken a liking to you. The plan for me was to act as if I was here to help her, and then report everything she does to Enki."

"You were suppose to be a spy."

"Yes and no." Suddenly, the eye in the middle of Hiei's forehead flashed under it's bandage and he turned on spot and started walking in a different direction. "I was simply supposed to keep her from doing anything that would endanger this world. With her history for being more violent then necessary, Enki wanted some insurance that his decision to send her here wouldn't come back to bite him in the ass."

"I guess that makes sense. So if that was what you were supposed to do, then what am _I_ supposed to do?" Yusuke asked hesitantly, slightly detoured as Hiei switched directions again. "And were are we going, anyway?"

"I'm trying to find her, but she's shrouded by shadows, so it's proving difficult to pin-point exactly were she is." He said offhandedly, "And you are supposed to do exactly what I was going to do, only I assume you'll have an easer time, seeing as she has already taken you under her wing."

"So all I have to do is make sure she doesn't go on a rampage and kill a bunch of humans, and if she does, or if I suspect she's going too, to let Enki know?"

"Not as bad as you thought it would be, is it?" Hiei smirked.

"I guess not, but I don't think Keiko will appreciate all this Demon World stuff interrupting our 'couple time'."

"Yes, well, you did lose during the tournament. I don't know why you were expecting to just leave without serving in Enki's army like the rest of us had too."

"Can't say I didn't try." Yusuke grumbly chuckled.

Before the duo had realized it, they had come into the clearing that the small temple to Yanma rested in. The doors and windows were, as always, closed tight, yet an odd energy still radiated from inside. Both demons stopped as they took in the serenity of the place.

"She's here." Hiei said, his voice barely above a whisper, "But her energy is low, she may be hurt."

"Why the hell would she be in there, she hates Yanma?" Yusuke asked, remember vividly how she through rocks at the building the day before and absolutely refused to enter the shrine. With gasp the memory hit him of the joking conversation that she and Genkai had had as the old woman came out of the temple, "I think your right that she's hurt, Genkai joked with her yesterday about needing Yanma to get to the afterlife! She could be dieing!" With that he started rushing to the door, but Hiei cut him off by standing in his path.

"What do you think you're doing? If she's been mortally wounded, then you don't want to surprise her. She's a Nikko, and they can be _very_ dangerous when they think that they are in danger. If Kurama wounded her that badly that she came here, then it's possible that she would mistake you for him coming back to finish the job."

Yusuke blanched as he thought on the possibility of the cold and calculating fox nearly killing the Hunter and dumping her at this temple as some sort of gruesome mockery. It just seemed to sadistic to be something that Kurama would do. Yet, the Fox had been prone to doing malicious and terrible things lately. . .

"Alright, so we go in with caution?"

"That would be the plan."

The two slowly crept up the few stairs that led to the sliding door at the front of temple, Yusuke leading the way. He slid the door open an inch and peeked in, only to be greeted with the pitch blackness that usually inhabited the temple when the candles weren't lit.

"You sure were right, if she's in there she's covered in shadows." He whispered.

Hiei's only responded with a nod. No sounds came from the building, and they took that as a sign that flooding the place with a little more light wouldn't get them into anymore danger then they already were. Yusuke slid the door open another couple inches -just enough for him to pass through sideways.

Once he was inside he let his eyes focus to the dark that surrounded him before he made any moves. He could hear a low steady breathing coming from somewhere near the alter, but he couldn't see anything. Hiei tugged at the back of his shirt and signaled over to one of the windows; the position of the door wasn't at the right angle to shed light to that side of the room. Yusuke stood where he was as Hiei cautiously moved to the far window to open it.

They exchanged glances based on energy signals more then sight, and agreed they were both prepared for the worst. Slowly Hiei slid the wood paneled window open and the blinding light of mid-morning washed into room like a title wave.

As light was shed on the alter, both young demons stiffened as the scene before them unfolded. Nekyo lay still on the stone-slab alter, her exposed back - rustling slightly from the movement of her breathing- was spotted heavily with what Yusuke at first assumed was blood, but after a moment of staring at her realized they were just her cat markings decorating her back. Her long tail lazily swished from side to side just atop the tapestry that covered up the lower half of her naked form. As they listened closely, the softest sound of purring hit their ears. There was no need to worry about her safety, she was only asleep, but the restless horror that both Yusuke and Hiei felt upon entering the temple only spiked as they realized what her form was cuddling with in her slumber.

Laying on his back, and snuggled in the folds of Nekyo's embrace was a very much alive and peacefully sleeping red-headed fox demon who was every bit as naked as his arch-enemy. One arm was tucked under his head lazily, propping him up properly to have his face buried in the top of her hair, while the other -almost protectively, rested in the curve of her side.

Yusuke and Hiei shared a moment of stunned silence, waiting until they were both sure that their eyes were not playing tricks on them before advancing on the sleeping couple. Hiei let out a loud forced cough after a few moments of deciding the best way to tackle this situation, and they both watched as Kurama stirred.

He blinked in the sunlight for a moment as he searched over Nekyo looking for the source of the cough. When he was sure it wasn't her, he turned his sleepy eyes to open room, finding his two closest friends watching him with nothing but surprise.

"Wh. . . What are you doing here?" He stammered, pulling up the tapestry to cover himself from those scrutinizing eyes.

"We could ask you the same question, but I think we already have a good idea what the answer is gonna be." Yusuke stammered awkwardly, choosing to say something -even something dumb - just to ease the tension of the room.

"We were looking for The Hunter." Hiei said simply, choosing to turn his gaze out the window rather then continue staring at the naked Ikimomo's laying a few feet away from him.

Kurama thought on this for several moments, his eyes flicking back ad forth between the other three demons in the room. He looked panicked, like he was still searching for a way to not get caught in this predicament red-handed. Suddenly, Nekyo made a small noise of protest as she clutched closer to Kuramas warm body.

At that action, Kurama jumped from the alter, dashing behind the far end of the large stone to hide the majority of his body in the shadows beyond it.

"You could at least advert your eyes." He said venomously to Yusuke -who was still staring - and motioned to a small clump of clothing on the floor a few feet away.

Yusuke stammered something inaudible and turned around to look out the window with Hiei.

After he was finished dressing, Kurama abruptly walked out the door, leaving the two younger demons exchanging confused glances. Leaving the sleeping Nikko, they rushed after him, catching up to him as he was descending the stares.

"Neither of you will breath a word of this to anyone, or I'll string you up and let Nik use you for target practice." Kuramas voice was low and steady as he said the words, and it didn't really sound like the threat it was. Yet, the fact that he was refusing to look at them had the younger demons worried.

Not another word was uttered between the three of them as they made their way back to the main compound.

...

'till next time, then! 8D


	27. Chapter 26

A/N Sorry this one's so short, I've had a busy week. (bad week, really) But, at least I got it done before the weekend, so I guess at least THAT'S productive.

Thanks for reading, R&R, -L.

...

_Demon Immigration_

It was a war zone. No, it was worse then that: It was outright anarchy. Demons, of all kind, makes and energy levels, as far as the eye could see. Small pocketed groups of them spared and fought like they were in some dirt-bag bar while those surrounding them cheered and jeered from the sidelines. Others were smashing things -seemingly just because they could. The rest just milled around, sounding both irritated and pompous, trading old war stories over whatever kind of booze they happened to sneak onto the property. None of them paying any respect to their host, who stood quietly in the middle of this sea of monsters, watching all of these events unfold as if she were watching some mildly entertaining day-time talk show.

It was the scene that Hiei, Yusuke and Kurama found as they approached the main grounds of Genkai's compound.

As soon as she caught wind of the trio she started barking orders. They didn't even have time to question what the hell was going on as they were forced to separate the brawlers, confiscate weapons, recorded names and powers, test energy levels, fill out questioners for the illiterate members of the hoard, separate them into smaller groups based on Caste, make sure they all had their Spots, record where each of them called 'home' while in Human World, inventory all of the separate Personal Energy Signals, and provide each - now completely and legally - immigrated demon with a photo ID one by one on Genkai's old piece-of-crap copy machine.

It took hours. In fact, the three friends were more then surprised when late afternoon rolled around and they could start to see the end of the lines of disgruntled demons waiting their turn to be registered. With all of the smart-ass remarks they were getting, and all of the hassles they were being put thru it felt like the inaugural wave of immigrants was lasting days, not hours. Not to mention all of the less-then-good-natured ribbing the three celebraty-esqu demons were getting for 'laying down and taking orders from that shriveled old Human'. By the time Nekyo showed up meandering thru the crowds in the early evening sun, the boys were more then happy to see her.

Without saying much except asking how things were going, she gave each member of the 'Demon-Human Unification Movement', as she called it (Yusuke calling it 'DHUM' 'for short'), a scroll that listed detailed instructions on the 'seminars' they would be holding as soon as the register lines were empty.

If the seminars were a lottery, then Hiei won. All he had too do was tell the revolving parties of demons how badly they would be tortured and punished if they broke any of the rules set down by Nekyo and Genkai. Yusuke on the other hand, was in charge of notifying the masses what those rules were. To loud objections and a lot of very rude jeers he tried to carefully explain why eating people, murdering people, commandeering houses, taking things without paying for them, and fighting in public were not expectable behaviors in Human World in the fifteen minute time slot before the group moved on to Kuramas seminar and a new group came to hear him speak. Kurama was stuck with the daunting task of giving tips on how to look 'more human' too the near-rioting crowd.

The cleverly engendered Spots that The Hunter had given out to the demons, the three found out, had a greater purpose then just calling it's owner whenever she felt like it. The strange power that the Cat had transferred onto the small telaporters also had the ability to 'suck up' the demonic aura around the demons who wore one, leaving any human without spirit awareness to only see the more human aspects of that demon. Even Kurama had to admit he was impressed with how well she devised this solution to the problem concerning camouflage. Yet, as human as some of the demons might have looked, their cloths still screamed that they were from a much more chaotic world. He tried in vain to get across some of the more common place manners and forms of dress in human society before conceding to the stubborn nature of his students and simply said 'Don't ware bones in public, and be polite to Humans that you don't know. And for the love of god, bathe at least once a week!'

The seminars, luckily, seemed to conclude the days activities, and as the demon hoard slowly filtered off the property to slink back to whatever miserable hole they crawled out of a much needed calm settled over the compound. Yusuke was the first to abandon his post, searching out a quiet corner on one of the many porches of Genkai's estate to watch the moon rise slowly over the tree line.

He had to admit, his head was spinning. Too much information had hit him too hard and too fast this weekend for him to really wrap his head around what this meant for his future. He thought back to Hiei, and how the short demons life was changing, and pondered on the odd predicament that Kurama seemed to be going thru and he secretly thanked every god that he could think of that at least he wasn't them. He really thought that when he got back to Human World life would be simple again. He had beaten the bad guys, stopped a war, found the truth to who he truly was and was ready to settle down and let himself be happy.

All he wanted was to settle down with Keiko and make the most of their precious time together before he was pulled back into the world that he truly belonged too. He never expected that world to follow so closely behind him when he turned his back on it.

He sighed heavily as he looked out at the crescent moon hanging low in the tree line, "Why is life so damn hard?" He called out griping the railing in front of him as if he let go, he would float away on another unwanted and tedious adventure.

"If life wasn't hard, it wouldn't be worth the trouble of living." a soft yet stern voice said beside him, making him jump.

"Damn it, Nekyo! Do you have to sneak up on me like that?" He whirled around to give her an angry look, but stopped when he noticed that only part of her was visible - her shadowy form and dark cloths blending in perfectly with the shadows on the wall she was leaning on.

"I was here first. So. . . Sorry, I thought you were asking me a question." She strode up to lean on the railing beside him, her dark eyes flickering blue for a moment as the moonlight hit them.

"It's okay," He sighed as shifted so they could talk, "I just didn't expect things to go down like this. I just thought everything would be. . ."

"'Easier'?" She finished for him with a sad smile. Yusuke nodded dumbly in response. "Yeah, that's probably just the innocence of youth talking. I used to feel that way, you know. I think everybody feels that way when they're young." She took an ornately carved clay pipe out of one of her many pockets as she spoke and emptied one of the hand-rolled cigarettes into the bowl before lighting it.

Yusuke watched her with interest as she did this, not even knowing how to respond to the words she was speaking. He couldn't help but notice that there was a clam about her that wasn't there before, and despite that she looked like she couldn't be much older then he was, the wisdom of her many years shone brilliantly on her stoic features. She seemed almost sage-like as she puffed on the pipe.

"I don't suppose that pipe was Kuramas at one point, was it?" He asked dryly, not knowing what else to say.

"It was, indeed." She laughed as ringlets of smoke escaped her mouth and nose. "I took it one day while we were fighting. He stole that green cloak thinking that it was in one of the pockets, trying to get it back."

When that seemed like that was all she was going to say on the matter, Yusuke let out a long sigh to ready himself to ask some of the many questions he had for the cat now that they were alone. Even though it had only been a matter of days, her presence in Human World seemed to be effecting his entire life. He didn't know how it happened, but she seemed to be pulling his strings, and the whispering notion that had been eating at the back of his mind since the second she arrived in his life were starting to bloom full-force in his consciousness now that things had seemed to settle down.

"Can I ask you something?" He started hesitantly. She took a long drag from the pipe and nodded, waiting for him to continue, "Hiei said that you seem to like me. . . Why. . . Why is that?"

She stared at him with a blank look for several moments before responding, "I guess you just remind me of Riazen." She said simply.

"My dad? Yeah, Kurama mentioned that you and him were buddies."

"He was a good man, and a good warrior. He also knew what it meant to be a ruler. His people always came first; He would do anything to ensure their freedom. I respected him for that. I see a lot of that valiantly in you, young Mazaku."

Yusuke thought on that for several minutes, a warm pride bubbling up in his chest as he took in the complement.

"So you are picking one me because you like me?" He chuckled.

"I wouldn't say I'm 'picking on you'!" She exclaimed in a low and serious voice, the slightest look of hurt bewilderment on her face, "Do you feel like I've been picking on you? Because if you do, I reserve the right to call you a Cry-Baby."

"Hey!" He scowled, shoving her playfully with his elbow, "I don't know about you, but I haven't herd me crying' about anything! If you want to pile loads of work on me, then fine! I take it as a challenge!"

"Good. I don't think I could handle _two_ whinny little men." She grumbled. "And you should take it as a complement that I feel like you can handle all of this stuff! It's not every day that I hand out promotions to kids like you!"

"Kids like me? If you haven't noticed, Lady, I believe that it was _this_ 'kid' who just finished saving your world from a devastating war!"

"Well, I don't really want to make light of what you did, but something like that was kinda' expected of you." She gave him a daunting look that spoke volumes about just how aware of who he was she thought he was. "You're a member of a dieing Caste, Yusuke. If you couldn't fix the problems that Demon Kind had gotten themselves into, then no one would have been able too."

He thought on that for a moment, not sure if he should consider it a complement or not. He wanted to ask her what exactly she was talking about, but before he was able too, she pulled herself up to perch on the railing.

"Sorry to cut this short, confused little Maziku, but I'm sensing that there's a Cry-Baby Fox out in those woods who's in some serious need of antagonizing."

And with that she pounced out into the darkness, leaving Yusuke alone and confused. All he could hope for was that the answers he wanted would come to him in time.


	28. Chapter 27

A/N MAN! I NEVER thought I'd get this one done! This is a spechial chapter for me, it explains a lot AND it moves plot along! I just hope you all like were it's going. ;D

Anyway, have fun reading it, and feel free to flame me if you don't like it! (Damn, that felt like a spoiler)

-L.

...

_The Dance_

Kurama walked the dark gravely path in a dazed state of blindness. It was good to be away from the others, he needed to think. He stumbled about his thoughts as his feet gracefully navigated the winding secluded walkway. Too much had happened too fast, and for all his begging, any hope of some halt to these maddening events still seemed distance. He hadn't planed for this, and his mind couldn't keep up. That was his flaw. That was how she always got him.

He extended his Chi, searching the surrounding arias for any unwanted visitors. Finding none, he released the energy his body had been containing for so long. He sighed, feeling lighter - physically and mentally- and continued on with his shocked and disarrayed thoughts as the vegetation around him bloomed with every step.

The Aura was sickening to him; three thousand years of working and striving to control it, and now his weak human body couldn't even contain it. Most of his energy these days was used solely for forcing it down, keeping it hidden. He knew that was why he lost control of his composer so often. It consumed him if it wasn't released, causing him to break, and act on instinct. When that happened, it was never pretty.

Yet, he had no time to focus on regrets. The sins of his past, both ones long forgotten and ones so resent they still painfully cut into his soul, would have to wait for another day to be amended. Right now he had to figure out what she was really dong here.

If it was to kill him, he knew he would already be dead.

He silently wished that she would. That _had_ been the plan. How many times now had he attempted to end his own pitiful disappointing life to no avail? He'd lost count several hundred years ago. And then she came along, that miserable Cat, and her desperate deal. He had never had the power to take his own life, but _she_ could. And what was more; She wanted too. All it would have taken was a matter of months, and he would have let her rip out his heart before his waking eyes. The gorier the better. But then the Old Nikko fell ill, and their carefully laid plans fell into complete ruin.

For all the pleading he did; for all of the begging and bickering, she wouldn't budge on her decision to be at her fathers side as he died. She would not be content with simply usurping the fiend Nero in the few months time it would take for him to be fully prepared for his death. So she ordered him to assassinate her brother, and sprinted off into the night to tend to her fathers death, recklessly abandoning the notion that the act would leave her an outcast. It was the last time he saw her.

What had happened in those eighteen years since he helplessly watched her rush headlong into obscurity? The tales he had herd during his investigations before the tournament had all pointed to her demise at the hand of her brother. So why was it now - away from their home and after all of the grieving he could bare to do was done -that she chose to show her self? Was this a cruel joke, or something more sinister?

What was most concerning, however, was the way she immediately began flaunting _that_ particular part of their relationship to the others - _his friends_ - as if he were some sort of trophy. A bubble of sickening churning erupted in the pit of his stomach at the thought of his friends witnessing _that _particular shortcoming. There was no doubt about it, though: she was trying to mess with his head. And by the seems of it, she was succeeding.

Kurama paused in his thoughts as he felt - more then herd - soft padded footsteps in perfect rhythm to his own off in the vegetation to his right. A glance from the corner of his eye noticed how thick the shadows were on that side of the path. He stopped dead to listen for a moment. The footsteps stopped as well. He smiled lightly to himself as countless moments exactly like this flooded his memory. On the spot, he shuffled his feet in time to imagined music - a silly little dance that Kuronue had made up so long ago. The echoing shuffle was, as always, out of step.

"You _are_ a terrible dancer. You know that, right?" He called to the darkness as he ceased his dance.

"And for as good as you are at it, you still look like a fool when you dance alone." Was the reply. She was close, almost next to him.

"If you want to talk, don't bother. Last night told me everything I need to know." It was a lie, but he hoped it would at least offend enough to make her go away. He started walking again, just to make sure.

"How _poetic_ was that?" She crooned as she materialized out of the shadows, walking in stride next to him, "To think that I got to repay the favor to the one who stole my virginity! Some two thousand years later, no less."

"To imply that I stole your virginity is a false statement." He replied coldly, "As you've told me on many occasions, 'you cannot rape the willing'. You _gave_ yourself to me."

"And is that how you feel about last night?" She purred the question, easing closer to him, a seductive leer in her eyes.

"What are you doing here, Nik?" he asked with a venom that whipped the smirk off her face.

"I _do_ want to talk to you." She switched from seductive to serious in less then seconds, "We have a lot to talk about, Priest."

"And if I don't want to talk to you? And do not call me that."

"Then you can just listen. Though, I would like to know the excuse you've come up with for betraying me, _Priest._"

"I already told you, I did no such thing. If you hadn't been so irrational, there would have been nothing for me too betray."

"You left me too my doom! _Our_ doom!" She roared in a whisper. "Where the hell did you go, Kurama?" She looked on the verge of tears.

He thought for a moment, not wanting to answer. The wheels in his head turned around all of the lies he could tell her as they walked side-by-side in silence. When none of the false stories he concocted seemed to be any better then the truth, he decided he would tell her exactly what happened on that dark night eighteen years ago.

"In your crazed abandon to get to your father, you failed to notice that you were being followed by the SDF. Your plans, being as stupid as they were, were still not the threat that those foul bests are. You never would have made it to your father if I hadn't intervened."

Surprise hit her features, and embarrassed, she looked away. "You're not lying, are you?"

He cocked an eyebrow in her direction, "I grabbed some of the stuff from the Den that I knew they didn't know I had already taken, and ran into them 'accidentally'. I thought that if I dropped the trash and ran that I could escape them, but they were out for blood. It was me they were trying to follow in the first place, not you. I believe you know how the rest of it goes." He finished with a grimace.

"Oh, you mean the part were you get yourself blown-up and run away to Human World?" There was a cruelty to her voice that set Kurama on edge.

"Something like that. . ." He managed to say through clenched teeth. "I was dying, I had to do something."

"and you couldn't be bothered with sending word that you were still alive?" Her voice was soft, but shrill non-the-less.

"And you have room to talk?" He accused sharply, his green eyes pricing her with a glare, "I looked for you when I got back! When I finally found Sahsho he told me to give up the search -that Nero had killed you the night that your father died. Along with. . ."

He trailed off. Something in the stinging in his nose and presser in his eyes told him it would be better if he didn't finish his sentence. The chain around her neck had already confirmed his worst fears, anyway.

"Is that part of it true, at least?" He continued hesitantly.

She looked away and sighed, shaking her head as if she didn't want to answer the question.

"I've spoken my piece," he seethed, "It's only fair that you tell me your side of the story. You _did_ say that you wanted to talk."

She sighed again, readying her self for the tale, "I got to my father in time to assassinate him properly." She began slowly, "But Nero wasn't far behind. When he saw the. . . Condition I was in, he went crazy. He's never been one for fighting, and normally he wouldn't have been a problem. . . But he was just so ruthless." She ended with a chocked noise and droplets of tears threatening to fall from her lashes.

"But you got away."

"I stabbed him in the eye. And then I ran. It felt like I had ran for days. I knew that if Nero was still alive, then I couldn't count on you for help, so I tried to get to Sahsho. I only stopped when the contractions became too painful to run with."

She paused to look at Kurama, who had bowed his head to watch his walking feet.

"Priest, Nero was trying to make me miscarry." She said solemnly, as if that would explain everything.

"And it worked." he sighed, feeling like he had herd enough.

"No." She said firmly as she stopped walking, causing Kurama to pause also. If the situation wasn't so serious, his look of shock would have made her laugh. "I hid myself the best that I could and birthed him right there in the woods. Looking back on it, I don't know how either of us survived it."

"But you both survived?" His voice was shaking, but he didn't care anymore.

She let the tears she was hiding roll down her cheeks as he stared at her waiting for an answer.

"For a time." She started again, "Two months pre-mature and weak from the beating I took; He was frail. We moved around a lot, running from Nero's men and the SDF."

He held up his hand to stop her. Without even realizing it, he reached out too touch her arm to mover her closer. He pulled her into an embrace, startling her.

"He was alive?" He choked out a whisper, "Were you ever planning on telling me?" He demanded softly.

"I'm telling you now, aren't I?" She sighed as she nestled herself deeper in his arms, "Did you really want me to tell you all of this in front of you entourage?" As he thought on that, he had to agree with her: secrecy still seemed to be the best option if they were going survive this.

He shook his head as he gripped her tighter. "Just. . . Just tell me about my son."

She pulled away from him and wiped the tears from her face. "Oh Priest," She pulled the chain around her neck out from beneath her gi. Two small silver pendants hung from it, "He was Silver." She looked at him hopefully as she showed him the pendants.

"Kitsune?"

"No, Nikko. But a silver cat is still very impressive." She untied one of the pendants and handed it to him. The mettle felt warm on his palm as he gripped it.

"He made those for us. While he was at your temple."

Kurama held the pendant close, not knowing what else to say. It was a Death Marker - one crafted by someone who was skilled at Kitsune arts, there was no mistake about that. The high quality melding, the smoothness of the small mettle sphere, and not even the smallest hint of the smell of the blood in the center. It was something a master would have crafted, not a child.

"This looks more like Koyuo's work. What the hell was he doing with my Clan?" He couldn't keep the suspicion out of his voice.

"You have no idea how hard my life has been." She said in a low voice, immediately putting on the defense, "Mizuki was _so_ clever-"

"Mizuki?' His breath hitched as he spoke the name.

"He looked like you in the moonlight." She blushed as she admitted that, and looked away. "He looked so much like you." She trailed off and wiped her eyes again. Her flow of tears just wouldn't stop.

Kurama approached her again, and grabbed her wrist gently. He led her to a fallen tree and helped settle her there too finish the rest of her story.

"Why did you take Mizuki to Koyuo?" he asked her gently when she had seemed to settle down.

"He was too weak to travel." She said simply. "It wasn't that bad right after he was born - when he was small enough to carry. And he was always so quiet. I'd never seen such a quiet baby before. It was like he knew we were always hiding from someone. But as he got older. . ." She trailed off. She was almost embarrassed to tell him the rest.

"Nik, it's okay." He said gently as he brushed some hair out of her face. But in reality, it wasn't okay. A rage was slowly building in him as all of the grief he had been hiding in the past few months came back with a vengeance. He needed to hear this. He needed to know who was responsible for the death of the only thing in his life he had been proud of.

"He couldn't travel with me." she looked him dead in the eyes, trying to portray the seriousness of the situation. "Something was wrong with his lungs, and he was constantly sick. He couldn't breath when he ran. 'Asthma' Sahsho told me. And of course I went to Sahsho, he was the only person I could trust." She added when she noticed Kurama's eyes darken at that name.

"If he knew that you were alive, why didn't he tell me?"

"He's a Secret's Broker, Kurama. Why do you think he didn't tell you?"

Kurama let the obvious sarcasm in her voice slide. He was in no mood to argue over the demanding payment methods of her former second-in-command.

"So you took him too my Clan so he wouldn't hold you back?" He pressed on, starting to feel irritated.

"No!" She cried indignantly, "I took him there too keep him safe! I didn't know what to do; he wasn't like my kind, but he _was_ like yours." She sighed as if a heavy weight was pressing on her, "About ten years ago we ran into some bounty hunters. I managed to kill them all, but Mizuki was injured. I knew then that he couldn't handle a life of running. I couldn't take him too my family, so I thought yours might be willing to help."

"Did you ever stop to think that my Clan would be just as hostel to a half-breed?"

"But they weren't." She almost sounded like she was pleading, "Koyuo took him in. He took one look at him and knew he was your son. He promised me that he would teach Mizuki to be an acolyte of your Temple, and that he would keep him safe."

"Then why is he dead?" He was aware that he was starting to sound hostel, but he didn't care.

She answered him with another round of tears.

"Nik, you have to tell me what happened." He said to her softly. If he was going to fix this, he had to know, and as soon as possible.

"In return for his safety" She started again after blowing her nose on her sleeve, "I was asked never to never see him again. He was welcome with your clan, but I still wasn't. That was good enough for me at the time -just to know he was safe. But things changed three years ago." She paused to emphasize, and a darkness came over he features that left Kuramas chest feeling a little too tight.

"What happened three years ago?"

"I saw you. I was hiding out in a pub, and they were playing that stupid Dark Tournament on broadcast. I guess a lot of demons wanted to see 'the Spirit Detective' get ripped limb-from-limb. It was during your fight with the bomb-maker from the Quest Caste. At first-"

"You knew I was alive, and you still let me believe that _you_ were dead!" He roared, but quieted when she held up her hand to silence him.

"At first I thought you were nothing more then a human Summoner. You know. . . We've all herd tales about humans who can call on the spirits of dead demons. . . But something in my gut told me it was really you. A _human_ you. And Mizuki always beloved you were still alive. . ." She trailed off as a fresh flow of tears flooded her eyes.

"Did he?" he couldn't help the small smile that came out with those words. He would never admit it to her, but it touched him to know that she had told their son about him, even though he wasn't around.

She nodded and continued, "I went back to get him. I figured if I could get him back, and then get to you, he would be as safe as he ever would be."

"And Koyuo had a problem with that?" It wasn't really a question, more an accusation then anything.

"They let me into your lands without question, which I thought was odd. When I got to the temple, Koyuo was waiting for me - I don't know how he knew I was coming - and he took me to Mizuki." She paused and took a deep breath, as if she was finally at the hard part of the conversation, "He was bed ridden at that point, and I was told had been for a year. Koyuo said his lungs were slowly filling with liquid, and he was drowning slowly from his illness." She paused to let that information sink in. When he didn't respond, she continued.

"I was allowed to stay until he . . . Passed. I spent his last three weeks with him."

Kurama nodded without thinking. He felt numb. There was no regret, no anger, or even sorrow to keep him company. The thought of being so close to returning to his own world as his son lay dying there vaguely crossed his mind as Nekyo said the words 'He was happy to know that I found you' as if her voice were from some distant dream. Yet all he could do was nod again, not sure if she had really said it, or if he was just imagining it. He could tell his heart was breaking, but there was nothing he could do about it. How could he seek out revenge on an illness?

"So what do we do now?" He asked in a hollow voice.

"Well," She sighed yet again, "We can start off by stopping the war this whole mess started."

"Are you sure that the war is about this? How many people knew that Mizuki was our son?"

"Enough." She scoffed cynically, "But it's not his lineage that started the war, it was his death. Someone in the Kitsune Clan - not Koyuo - has started a campaign against the Nikko over the death of the what they are calling 'The Last Heir of Kitsune'. I have no idea what that means, considering Mizuki was actually a Nikko, but they have been attacking my Clan over the offence. I can't help but wonder if it was because I went back to the temple, and left after he died. I think they think I assassinated him. Of course my people deny having anything to do with his death, and have been attacking them back in response to the accusation. Of course the Ookami want nothing to do with this, and Mauro even agreed to stay out of it until the whole thing blows over. She's already advocated her power as ruler over to Enki, anyway."

Kurama let out a long sigh and stood up to pace. He knew what it meant to be an Heir of Kitsune, but nothing about the death of one of them would be enough grounds to start a war. Even an assassinated Heir would simply be viewed as a martyr. The priests of the temple promoted peace, not vengeance.

"And you're sure that they are talking about Mizuki?"

"The timing adds up. It was less then a month after his death that the fighting started. Small groups at first, but now it's an all-out war between the Clans. Enki recently sent fighters to try to neutralize the situation, but they all came back in pieces less then a week later. Kurama, as the Kami of our clans, and as the ones responsible - as indirectly as it is - for all of this, we are the only one's who can stop this. I just don't know how without running the risk of both of us losing what little respect we have left and starting an even bigger war. I'm fairly sure that Mizuki's parentage is still not widely known. Revealing that information is the only way I can see ending the war, but I can't take the risk."

"It would be disastrous." He agreed. And it would. If word got out that the heir to the Nikko's royal family and the heir to the Kitsune's High Priest were the same person, the Ikimoni lands would slaughter themselves trying to claim possession over his legitimacy. It would be a chaotic smash-and-grab kind of war with both parties intent on dominating the other - using the banner that the child meant the assurance that their clan would be the one to inherit the whole of the continent. And if you added the Ookami into the mix, they would use the chaos to undermine and destroy both the Kitsune and the Nikko. Really, the best case scenario would be the eternal banishment of both himself and the Hunter, leaving both clans in a ruin of anarchy - and that had already happened, anyway. Yet he highly doubted that would be the only thing too happen. The thought of the public humiliation alone was enough to turn his thoughts against the idea of revealing such a coveted secret.

"Enki asked Spirit World to put up one of those barriers around the Ikimoni Lands, so that the fighting wouldn't spread to the rest of the world." Nekyo started again, dragging Kurama from his thoughts, "That was about a month ago. Since then, guerrilla fighters from both sides have been using the Tori to hid and ambush each other, pulling the war more and more into _this_ world. That's why I need those doors shut from this side. At this point my plan is to let the war run it's coarse with minimal collateral damage."

"And you would consider that _stopping_ the war?" Kurama asked shrewdly.

"Nero and Kaoru are encouraging the fighting." she answered gravely, "If Nero dies, I have a small window to step in and stop this mess."

"Don't you still need my heart?"

"I have ways around that now, Priest. But Nero needs to die before I can implement them. But if your speaking of our deal, I already told you, the choice of whether you live or die is up to you."

He thought on that for a moment before he nodded again. "I'll help you close the Tori, if that's what you need me to do. And as for our deal; if you are still willing to help me pass on the Aura, then you can have my heart." He said it with such finality that he knew he was still ready to die.

"Oh, Priest," She crooned as she stood up to place a kiss on his cheek, "I already own your heart."

She squeezed the hand that still held the pendant tightly with one hand as she gently stroked his cheek with the other. There was a warm familiarity that made him blush and want to pull away, but he didn't.

Nekyo on the other hand, pulled back as if she were startled with her own actions. With a bewildered glare, she turned on spot and disappeared into the woods, leaving Kurama alone to burry himself in his grief.

...

Hope it was worth the wait! 'Till next time, thanks -L.


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